I Wish, More Than Anything
by OliveMiddleton
Summary: Four years later Mellie is living in Virginia after winning her senatorial race. Fitz and Olivia have their life wedded to each other in Vermont. But one day an unexpected knock on Mellie's door changes everything. Something is wrong with Fitz, and her help is needed. Mellie must handle opening old wounds, controlling her lack of alcohol and taking adventures. (MELLITZ)
1. An Unexpected Visit

_Hello all! I am a rose dying on the vine of Melitz lovers. So I thought I should try my own hand at writing a story. Some of these facts about how they met may not line up to the one's given by Shonda on the actual TV show because I sometimes mix up the back stories with one's I have read on FanFiction. But for the most part, I think this story is really turning into something great. So enjoy! _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton _

* * *

**An Unexpected Visit**

Mellie Grant continued to scoop up the next spoonful of Special K dark chocolate cereal, that she now ate religiously at 11 o'clock pm whether she be in her office or her bedroom in her Virginia estate. She flipped through her channels and finally settled on the movie _Something Borrowed. _FX had already shown it for the tenth time that week, but it solidly became one of her favorites. As the volume increased with out her consent, and a Progressive commercial started she took a peek at the baby monitor on the coffee table in front of her. The green light signaled its power, but it did not make a noise. It was silly of her to keep the monitor in Teddy's room, he was already six, but every now and then he would get a nightmare and she enjoyed being there just as he opened his eyes so he didn't wake up frightened and alone. Although it took her some time to finally get the "mom" thing figured out, being alone helped her a lot more than it hurt her surprisingly. Karen visited her regularly from her apartment in Austin, Texas. It was quite a surprise that Karen chose The University of Texas at Austin to acquire her master's degree in literature, she had attended Princeton for her undergraduate and she still hadn't figured out their correlation. But Karen went on about Austin's perfect balance of city and outdoors activities. She also met a recent male graduate who was recently admitted to their law school. Fitz and Mellie tried hard to accept her choice, but they were afraid that it had been more biased then she let on. They had already let their only daughter choose an English degree over Political Science, Pre-Law, Biology, Chemistry, and Pre-Med. All the majors that were brought to her attention via Mellie in front of a giant screen with a clicker. But deep down Mellie just wanted what was best for Karen, so if she enjoyed literature that much then so be it, she will write a book or be the best professor in her field.

Mellie looked back at the television to see John Krasinski on the beach, this man made her laugh and she couldn't help being attracted to his goofy vibe. She had met him once at the Kennedy Center, but there was no way she would ever take him away from his beautiful wife Emily Blunt. As she finished her last spoonful of cereal the doorbell rang. _Who in the hell got passed security at this hour? _She turned down the television volume, placed her bowl on the coffee table and walked to the large front door. Mellie checked herself in the mirror directly to her left. Her hair was in a loose bun and she was wearing sweat pants with Teddy's soccer team's t-shirt that had a purple panther logo on the front and "Grant" with a big number 4 on the back. For only paying fifth-teen dollars for the fan shirt, it was the most comfortable grey cotton one she owned. Finally she nodded to herself in assurance and opened the door. It was someone who she did not expect to see in her life ever again, other than political functions or Teddy's annual birthday party, she couldn't help the sneer that came out of her mouth naturally. She had said it with this tone for exactly four years.

"Olivia Pope, to what do I owe this honor?"

"Mellie, nice to see you with something in your hand other than a glass of moon shine." Mellie held her breath and narrowed her eyes, suddenly feeling that she could crush the remote in her hand. Olivia realized her over step and for once Mellie saw Olivia's eyes lower with apology. "I didn't mean that, I know you stopped drinking during your senatorial race."

"Oh, you mean once mine and Fitzgerald's divorce was signed." Mellie's eyebrows rose "Yah, you would think that would make me a drunk, but only my dead kid would do that. How's Eleanor's ring fitting you Olivia? God knows my fingers were too thin for that gold band, and I doubt it would look good re-sized."

Olivia pouted her lips and bit the bullets Mellie was shooting at her. She wasn't here to fight; she was in Virginia for a reason. A very important one. "May I come in please? I didn't fly over four states for mere pleasure." Olivia put her right foot over the threshold and Mellie sent it daggers, but with a sigh she opened the door wide open.

Olivia had been to Mellie's home before, but it was under much different circumstances. She had never sat on her brown couch, with the complimentary cream and magenta flowered pillows. But now Olivia sat still and upright.

"God relax, you're making me nervous." Mellie waved her hand in the air, and sat down on a single seated sofa next to Olivia. Without another second Olivia blurted, "He is not doing well Mellie. Something is wrong, and I've been trying to figure it out for weeks. I made him take me flying on his helicopter, we went to Africa for a week, and I've made him spaghetti four times in the past three weeks."

"Did William and Kate join you on your week in Africa?" Mellie asked crossing her legs and leaning forward on her elbows.

Olivia's eyes widened, "You mean Prince William and Kate Middleton?"

Mellie didn't even laugh because she was being completely serious, her ex-husband was once the most powerful man on Earth, they had very popular and powerful and in this case, _royal_ friends. "Who else Olivia? He doesn't enjoy Africa unless they are in his company. William brings out parts of Fitz that not many people get to see. He is treated and thought of as basically a little brother. They play soccer with the local children and whoever loses donates to the others charity. Kate is such a genuine sweetheart; he enjoys her presence very much. She humbles everybody around her, even myself."

Olivia looked at her hands, "It was just us. I didn't even think to ask if he wanted to invite anyone else."

"If you used Ragu in the sauce for the spaghetti, he is too nice to tell you that it tastes sub par and he prefers the farmer's market kind. He won't say anything because he feels to pretentious to admit it. It took me sneaking on the maids notes to figure it out." Mellie sighed and continued, "Did he only eat one serving of spaghetti and over four garlic breads?"

Olivia began fidgeting and fixed her left side of hair behind her hair, "Actually yah he always only eats one serving of spaghetti, but finishes all our garlic breads."

Mellie smirked "Well there you have it, no Ragu, and I solved your problem. Is that all?"

Olivia sat silent and Mellie couldn't help but feel sympathy. "It's nothing to worry about Olivia," she said under her breath "I've learned these little things over a long-period of time. Me and Fitz were together for over twenty years."

"Mellie there is something wrong with him," with her wide eyes Olivia's voice was shaking "he doesn't get out of bed unless I force him, he eats but doesn't talk as much at the dinner table, he is on season three of _Bones_ and it has barely been five days. He showers maybe four times a week, and we haven't had – we haven't been intimate in over a month."

Mellie couldn't help but cackle, "Oh honey, you are preaching to the choir. Are you sure It's not your turn at a mistress, have you snooped for a burner phone yet?" Her head flew back in laughter but Olivia stayed serious.

"It is dark Mellie. He is dark. I have tried everything and I can't – I can't"

"You can't handle it." Mellie finished her sentence with a deep voice. "I thought I would never here those words coming from miss 'It's Handled'. God is good, all the time."

"Mell-"

"All the time, God is good." Mellie couldn't help but finish her verse with a devilish smile. She shifted from crossing her left leg over her right, to the opposite.

She hadn't spoken to Fitz's since Easter, when he picked up Teddy from her house. He seemed fine then, and it had only been three months, so whatever happened must have switched as soon as he got back to Vermont.

Mellie was finally stable in her life, everything was falling into the places she wanted them to. Soon she was going to run for President, and she didn't care if that included a man by her side or not. Her and Fitz's divorce was bittersweet, but necessary as soon as his presidential term was over, he had made that part very clear.

She remembered their last day in the Oval. He called her in, and she thought it was for a celebratory drink on everything they had been through and accomplished as partners. Mellie had been exposed to the divorce papers before, and looked over all their agreements concerning money, property, insurance, and the children. The time to sign the documents would come eventually, but she did not think it would be on the exact day before he was no longer President of the United States. Her eyes glazed over as he murmured her name and grabbed a tan manila folder from the top drawer of his desk. Her breath had caught and she remembered how she had been thinking _this is what it feels like to be dropping down twenty floors_, her stomach churned that bad. She grabbed a nearby blue pen, and ripped the manila folder from his hands. It amazed her that her legs worked and found there way to sitting in front of the coffee table placed in the middle of the room. He said nothing to her, but she felt his gaze burning right into her side. Being a lawyer herself she knew exactly where to sign on the divorce papers, so she was done in the matter of a minute. Taking a second to let it all sink in, Mellie placed the pen right next to the documents. She took one last look at the presidential seal and internally smirked, she'd be back one day on her own terms. Without any more words, she walked towards the door never looking back until she heard his voice croak out "Melody . . ."

He had started to walk around his desk but she put a hand up motioning him to stop. His blue eyes looked stormy and his face was in a torn up frown. Turning her back to him, and barely inching her face so she could see him through her peripherals Mellie said, "I have loved you, I tried my best." Mellie walked out and didn't let her face fall until she was in the privacy of her bedroom.

After Olivia cleared her throat Mellie was brought back to the present time. Her blue orbs shifted from the palm of her hands back to Olivia's begging eyes.

"I don't know what you want me to do Olivia, he isn't my husband anymore he is just the father of my children." Mellie sighed and let her back fall against the sofa; her entire body sliding down an inch.

"It's Fitz, Mellie. The man who help-"

"Don't you dare say the man who helped me." Mellie scoffed. "Fitz is a great man, he had wonderful potential that he led up to. He is handsome and a genuine lover. But Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III did not keep any of his promises. He broke each one and tried to pick up the pieces and put them back together with cheap scotch tape."

"You know him!" Olivia practically shouted, "You know what gets under his skin, you know how to make his blood boil, and make him crazy. I need that. He needs that. I can just make him depressed, all I have ever done is sadden him or make him jealous! I am married; I am not going to flaunt myself to wake my husband up." Olivia did not like admitting to her husband's ex-wife that she was turning out to be incompetent. They both sat in silence for the next minute, and Mellie contemplated her decision. _How bad could he be?_ Although she came off as a cold hearted person, Fitz's did always and will always hold a space in her heart. She hated to admit it but the man was her heroin.

"I need to let the nanny know I'll be gone for. . ?" Mellie finally asked Olivia, and watched as her eyes brightened and she tried to hide the smirk forming at her lips.

"I'm not sure, but if anything we can fly Teddy to Vermont. It's summer anyway so school is not a problem."

"Kids are still new for you aren't they? Haven't gotten around to those yet have we?" Mellie took a stab at Olivia and Fitz's lack of children in the big house they owned in Vermont. "Teddy is part of a soccer team and they have games every Tuesday and Thursday, I can not just ship him around as I please. People don't own people Olivia. And he has a science camp coming up next Monday through Friday, he's too excited about that and I don't want to tear him away from it. I'll simply tell the nanny one week and we'll see where I am by then."

"Alright then, so we should expect you –"

"Sunday. I'll be there Sunday morning, and I think it would be best if you weren't there when I show up. I'm already going to have to deal with Fitz's, I don't want to have to deal with you two arguing about my presence while I stand in the same room."

Olivia stood to get up and nodded at Mellie, "Alright then it's -"

"Handled." Mellie finished Olivia's sentence with a keen smile, and a wave goodbye as she floated up the stairs knowing very well Olivia could show her own way out.

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_Next chapter will be up faster than two shakes of a lamb's tail. But until then follow or review if you want more! -O.M._


	2. Vermont

_Faster than two shakes of a lambs tail. Okay maybe a little longer. Enjoy friends! _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

**Vermont**

On the car ride to Fitz and Olivia's very expensive and very lonely house, Mellie felt her iPhone buzz in her hand. "Olivia" came up with the green text message logo right next to her name, with her thumb she swiped the notification and it opened with a little swish.

_The spare keys are under the front door matt. The maid knows you are coming, she will show you to your room. I will be in Georgia with Abby. _

Mellie clicked the screen off, only for her to receive another message a second later.

_Thank you for this Mellie. _

With that Mellie rolled her eyes, and felt the car come to a halt. They were at the entrance gate. A quick wave to the security guard from the backseat and the switch to open the black gates was flipped.

The scenery leading up to the house had always amazed Mellie, and she hated admitting that this estate was very beautiful. It was perfect for Fitz. The car journeyed down the half a mile road, until the house came into view, unhidden from the trees. It's brownstone and mix of wood gleamed in the sunlight, and the yard was colorful with different flowers. Finally the car stopped in front of the house. She waited for her driver to open her door, and grabbed her purse before climbing out. Her black flats hit the pavement and suddenly she felt sick.

_Why am I here?_ She thought. _I can't fix anything. I certainly can't fix Fitzgerald. That's all I have ever tried to do. And it's everything I've failed at. _

The driver left her extra large suitcase and smaller duffel bag at her side, and waited for her to proceed towards the tunnel leading to the front door. Mellie huffed, _well there's no going back now. Get your shit together Melody Rayna Johnson. _She walked with her head high and then grunted when she had to bend down to receive the spare key from under the doormat. Finally her delicate fingers graced the rough metal edges, she grabbed it quickly and stuck it in the keyhole. She turned it to the left and heard the bolt slide to unlock the door. Twenty minutes later, all her stuff was in her guest room, which the maid gladly showed her to and before she could leave Mellie asked in a calm manner "Where is Mr. Grant?" A maid made a solemn face and pointed down the hall to the master bedroom. "Mr. Grant has not been out of his room since Mrs. Pope asked him to have breakfast with her this morning before she left with Mrs. Whelan." Mellie nodded and with a smile the maid knew to leave her alone.

Finally taking the time to absorb her surroundings Mellie decided she should take a proper look around. Her guest room was nothing but beautiful, gold and white always made such a difference in decoration. It was the colors of her master bedroom back in Virginia, so she couldn't hate Olivia for sticking her in this room. She walked towards her personal bathroom and approved of both the bathtub and shower. Eventually she made it out of the guest bedroom and made her way down the hallway one room at a time. Teddy's room was next, then Karen's, and then a guest bathroom, all on the left side. On the right side across from Teddy's was the laundry room, and across from Karen a workout room, and then the door to the garage. Her eyes finally met the wooden door at the end of the hallway, the master bedroom, and she couldn't hear a single sound coming from the other side. _Now or never._

Her fingers turned the doorknob and it opened gracefully. To her astonishment Fitz was naked on his stomach snoring his life away. The blankets were not covering him up at all; they only managed to hide part of right leg and butt cheek. The room smelt of spilled alcohol and when she saw the broken glass near the window she could inference why.

The nightstands next to his bed had two bottles of beer, and about seven empty glasses that she was sure once held clear burning alcohol. _God damn it Fitz not again. _She knew Olivia would never allow him to drink in the morning so her guess was this alcohol was all consumed between eight and ten this morning. She checked her left wrist for the time and saw it was already nearing noon. Without a second thought Mellie walked to the blinds that were drawn to block out any sunlight from seeping in, and pulled them up in one movement, making sure to avoid as much broken glass as possible. She continued to the next window and the next until all five were burning light that even she had to shield her eyes. Fitz stirred as soon as the third window was open and cuss words were coming out of his mouth at a hundred miles per hour.

"Liv, I swear –" he began to yell, his face was turned towards Mellie and the glare from the sun concealed her identity and the slight cringe at his use of Olivia's nickname. Fitz's eyes began to adjust and he squinted "Mellie? What the hell are you doing here?!" He swiftly got up from his stomach and before Mellie could speak his body jolted forward and every amount of alcohol in his body was now present on his white sheets.

Mellie gagged as she walked behind him to rub his back. His muscles were rippling beneath her fingers as every jolt from his abdomen continued until there was nothing left to vomit. When his breathing finally calmed down, she grabbed his shoulders and tugged him off the bed. As he straightened back up, Mellie felt small, like she always did next to her 6 '2 ex-husband, eight inches made all the difference. She grabbed his arm and put it around her shoulders and walked him slowly towards the bathroom. Once inside she put the toilet seat down and made him sit, while she turned on the shower.

"I can bathe myself Mellie." Without saying anything she turned to him with an icy blue glare and tilted her head. Grinding her teeth she tried to form any words that would describe her absolute disgust and disappointment in him right now. She had never been so angry that she couldn't think of an insult, but today proved her wrong.

Fitz awkwardly covered his package, and Mellie rolled her eyes. He had just thrown up violently all over the bed, but God forbid she see the penis that he once fucked her with. Still killing him with her silence she motioned to the warm water, signaling him to get in. Fitz stood up and started another protest about Mellie bathing him, but she grabbed his cheeks and scrunched his mouth with her right hand. Her nails dug in so deep that she figured a little more pressure and she could draw blood. But she directed him by the face into the warm water. Fitz finally gave in and lowered his head into the shower.

Mellie took a moment to look at his state of despair. His body looked the same but his postures were all wrong. His shoulders were shrugged forward, and his arms dangled loosely by his sides. It looked like his legs could barely support his upright stand. She watched him grab his shampoo and finally turned and walked out of the bathroom, hoping he would finish bathing himself.

Mellie called the maid and told her to collect all the sheets and throw them out completely and to go buy new ones of a different brand and design. She gave the details slowly so the maid could write down specifically everything she asked for.

"And on the way back please pick up a Violet's Triple Chop from Sweet V's Barbeque. Thank you."

The maid took their orders and left the room. Mellie still hearing Fitz's fuss around in the shower walked into what she assumed was the closet because it was the only other door in the room. Of course it was a walk in and extremely large. She saw all of Olivia's clothing on the right side, and turned to the left. Every single color of suit and dress shirt was hanging. Searching through drawers, she finally found clean underwear, socks, sweatpants and an old Yale t-shirt. She remembered this one clearly; it had been taken off every chance they got in her old college apartment. As soon as her memory began to travel she heard the shower shut off.

Fitz's came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, and seeing Mellie with the clothes in her hand he let it fall immediately. Apparently he had recovered fiercely from his previous shameful thoughts. She tried to control her reaction, but this man smelled of musk and her favorite Head and Shoulders body wash. Just as a blush was beginning to creep up her cheeks she shoved the clothes against his abdomen.

As he started to dress himself she heard him mumble, "I cannot believe she called you. Out of all the connections my wife has, she decided to call my ex-wife."

Hearing Fitz refer to anybody but herself as his _wife _made Mellie snap, and quick as a whip she finally spoke directly at him, "Well shouldn't that show you how truly fucked up you are Fitzgerald?"

He cringed at her use of his full name and before he could stop it he spat "What are you going to do, get on your knees and try to fix me with a blow job in the shower? How great did that work for you last time Melody." Suddenly his right cheek felt red-hot and Mellie's eyes were wild, she had just slapped him across his face.

Fitz gulped trying to show no reaction, "Get the fuck out of my house," his words came out in a deep rumbling voice from the very back of his throat.

Mellie stared at him and didn't move an inch. He was much worse than she expected, and she knew he was not going to be pleasant but his level of viciousness had increased ten times since she had ever known him. Knowing that he wasn't going to make this easy for her, Mellie realized she would have to take the stabs he was digging into the scars of their past. Her eyes softened and the blizzard passed.

"Fitz . . . whatever you are going through, I need you to tell me. Whatever you did, we can fix it. I just, I need you to talk to me as a friend. I am not here as your wife, or your dramatic ex-wife. Something has happened to you, and I don't like seeing you this way."

"Nothing is wrong Mellie."

"Fitz I just bared witness to you vomiting every ounce of alcohol you consumed in the past five hours onto your bed. You never mix hard alcohol, even at your worse times. It is not you."

"How do you know? You don't know me anymore."

"Oh God," Mellie rolled her eyes, "really Fitz? The ex-husband sympathy card? Just because you move four states away into a home with Olivia Pope does not mean I didn't spend twenty years of my life with you. I know you."

Fitz's eyes went solemn at the sound of sincerity in her voice. He didn't know what he was feeling. All he knew was that Mellie looking at him with her deep blue eyes made him miss her, and he got the sudden urge to reach out and touch her.

Like she read his mind, she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. Fitz's stood like a mannequin for thirty seconds until finally he cracked and held her back. Mellie continued to rub his back, and then she felt something moist hit her collarbone where his head had fallen. Fitz was crying.

* * *

_Well Chapter 3 is in the process, but should be ready quite soon. So stick around folks! There's more questions that will be answered and more stories to be told. -O.M._


	3. Life and Death Brigade

_Let's uncover the past together, shall we? _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

**Life and Death Brigade**

Mellie had comforted Fitz for twenty minutes, slowly moving him back on to the bed and then laying him on his side. He didn't reject her hold on him, and she really did not know what else to do or say. It was okay for them to let the silence continue, it almost reminded her of when Jerry died and Olivia left. She held a mute Fitz for hours, after he won the election, in the Oval Office. Finally his short and tapered breathes turned into long drawn out ones. Mellie rubbed his shoulder and got up from next to him. She ran to her room and grabbed a Vera Bradley quilt she always traveled with and rushed back to his laying body. She made sure to cover as much of him as the quilt would; it left his little toes peeping out. Mellie sighed, she really didn't want to let him continue sleeping but he looked so calm and his eyes were still damp from the tears that had flowed through them. She stared at him for a while and began to remember all the little parts of his body she had forgotten. The one curly hair that pulled an "Alfalfa" when he didn't wax it straight out of the shower, the vein in his neck that was always present, and the little scar underneath his foot when he stepped barefoot on a thumbnail in Karen's room circa 2000.

Mellie drew the blinds closed this time, now letting the room illuminate with an orange glow. She heard the front door open and close, and went to meet the maid. Without a second thought she helped grabbed some of the bags the maid was carrying, and helped her place them on the kitchen counters. She knew how heavy this bedroom bed set could be because she lugged it up to their old apartment the moment they had enough money to afford it.

"Fitz is asleep right now but once he wakes up you can change the sheets and place my quilt back in my room. For now just put the chopped sandwich in the oven, he will need it once he wakes up with a hangover twice as bad as the one he woke up with the first time." The maid looked at Mellie with wide attentive eyes, "Thank you so much . . . ?" Mellie awaited the answer from the petite woman.

"Gracie, my name is Gracie," she answered looking down at her hands.

"Well thank you Gracie you have been a lot of help, I really wish you didn't have to see Fitzgerald like this. This is not who he is." Mellie told Gracie, but it seemed like she was trying to convince herself that she could get Fitz out of this funk.

Gracie nodded her head and began preparing the oven at a very low heat in order to keep the barbeque warm, but not enough heat to burn it.

Mellie thought of how she should go about this next. _If I were Fitz what is the first thing I would do upon waking up? Easy, have sex with that home wrecker Olivia Pope. Think calm thoughts Mellie. Well the man only had a dozen bottles and glasses around him this morning. I have to throw out all the alcohol. Just to be safe, that means whatever wine Olivia collects in their basement. Can't have Fitz's succumbing to the decades of collected wine can we?_

"Gracie, I need you to help me with something!" she smiled kindly with sparked blue eyes, at the maid.

Thirty minutes later they had thrown out any alcohol found in the kitchen, garage, living room, Fitz's office, and Olivia's office. All that was left was the daunting cellar, that Mellie could only be sure Olivia owned over fifty collectible bottles of wine in. Although Mellie relished in the idea of throwing every single one out, and telling Olivia it had to be done due to Fitz's drunken condition, she told Gracie to find a business that sells storage garage's somewhere in town and to buy one immediately.

Finally she had the courage and hope to open the door to the dark basement, she found the light switch quickly and walked down the stairs. To her surprise there was only one shelf that contained the dark liquid, and only about twenty bottles were settled on it. She had Gracie bring an empty crate to where she was standing and together they began looking one by one at each bottle. Mellie cringed as they found the barely four-year-old red wine from King Family Vineyards in Virginia.

_Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III &amp; Olivia Marie Pope_

_October 22, 2016_

The words were printed in black matte lettering on a 5 by 3 inch cream sticker, smack on the bottom middle of the wine bottle. Mellie held her growl as she placed the bottle carefully in the box. Sometimes she wished she didn't keep her shit together, or she would have "accidently" dropped the bottle on the hard concrete floor.

Her and Gracie placed the fifteen bottles from the first three rows in the crate, and looked down at the last five on the bottom and final fourth row. _Another Hardy's Voyage Red Wine and another Beringer, why am I not surprised?_

Then Mellie picked up the third to that last bottle and inhaled sharply. Her heartbeat stopped and she was suddenly very aware of how fragile wine bottles could be.

_Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III &amp; Melody Rayna Johnson_

_January 15, 1995_

Her fingers grazed over the dusty and mostly faded letters. He had kept the wine from their wedding; it was a collection from Robert Mondavi's Nappa Valley selection, _Cabernet Sauvignon_. She thought it had disappeared over time all these years, but here it was.

Suddenly visions of the winter wedding came back in flashes. Harmony was blabbing on and on about how prude her bridesmaid dress was, and Mellie couldn't help but remember how much she wanted to strangle her little blond head off. Her best friend Meredith made her take two shots of whiskey, because her nerves were anything but tamed. Mellie remembered looking at him from the tiny slit in between both church doors that were soon to be opened, allowing her to finally walk down the aisle. He looked just as nervous as she felt; he kept fixing his cuff links and scratching the nerve in his neck that was always profound. Mellie remembered his face as she finally made her way down the white rose petaled aisle, his eyes were bright and his smile never left throughout the whole ceremony.

Mellie's eyes began to glaze over when she remembered the speech he gave after everyone was served the _Cabernet Sauvignon_.

"Well I'm sorry honey but you have officially just committed to being my ball and chain." Everyone laughed. "I am trying to describe to you this feeling that is pulsing through me right now, but I just can't. It's like I'm full, there are no spaces in me that feel empty," Fitz paused and then continued. "Now, I'm going to share something with all of you that pretty much sold me on my beautiful wife. It was finals week on campus, and I walked into one of the smallest twenty-four hour libraries at Yale. Well I see this girl with long auburn hair, clipped back in a half ponytail, sitting alone at a table that can sit about twenty other people. Mind you it's three in the morning and she has about three textbooks, and two notebooks and loose sheets of paper all around her. Well I think what the hell, I hate studying alone so I will just sit a couple of seats down from her. I'm about to put down my stuff when I hear a voice pipe in 'I'm sorry that seat is saved.' I look at her with these cracked eyes and I know she's lying but okay whatever there's nineteen other seats left. Well each time I try to sit down she says again "I'm sorry that seat is saved." So I go around the whole table attempting to sit down, and not once did I go against her word. Finally I come full circle to the seat directly to her right. I don't even think there's a chance she'll let me sit right next to her when I've been around the world and back, and everything was too close for her comfort. So I look at her with annoyment in my eyes and sarcasm dripping from my words "Well I think this one is saved for the Queen of England so I'll just find somewhere else to sit." I'm turning away and I hear her voice, "No actually she just canceled her reservations, so you have ten seconds before Cher takes your place." I'm in awe of her quick wit that I stare at her for a couple of seconds, then she starts humming "If I Could Turn Back Time" while looking at her watch. I slammed my books so hard on the table that it echoed through the entire library. That's when I heard her laugh, and I knew this woman would be the death of me. I mean for Christ's sake we waltz around each other for about ten minutes," Fitzgerald smiled at his wife, and then after a brief moment his eyes turned the deepest blue she had ever seen. "That was the first time I met you Mellie Ray, and since that initial meeting I knew you were going to be special. Since then it has always been you and me, and for now and for eternity it will always be you and me."

Gracie's sneeze brought Mellie back to the present and she took full control of the emotions that were fighting to be released. "Bless you, Gracie I will keep this one in my room." Mellie placed the bottle in one of the racks directly in front of her eyes so she wouldn't forget. Then she grabbed the next bottle.

"You're fucking kidding me," she closed her eyes and continued to fight the tears that so badly wanted to flow down her cheeks. There were pains in her stomach and she didn't know why she was getting so emotional over her and Fitz's past. She had been there; she had lived through every single moment within her memory first hand. So why did she feel like that life before her never existed?

She looked down at the bottle of Merlot from the Shafer Vineyards in Nappa, California. It was the wine they drank when he proposed to her many moons ago. Actually if she remembered right, it was April 15, 1994 and he had done it correctly.

Fitz took them to her favorite vineyard. Somehow he got the place to serve them his favorite, spaghetti. The restaurant that resided on the entry of the vineyards had an orchestra every Friday evening and she remembered their rendition of Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra playing in the background of their dinner. It was simply the perfect moment.

_Fly me to the moon_

_Let me play among the stars_

_Let me see what spring is like_

_On Jupiter and Mars_

Fitzgerald had stood up from his sitting position, and Mellie remembered giving him a quizzical eye. He was nervous, she knew because he had rolled up his dress shirtsleeves, why hadn't she noticed his lack of tie tonight? She could see his chest blushing from the top button being undone.

_In other words, hold my hand_

_In other words, baby, kiss me_

"Mellie Ray," Fitz said as he began to kneel in front of her. Mellie's eyes grew wide and her hand shot up to cover her gaping mouth. "You make me want to be a better man. Since the day we met, you have been nothing but supportive of me. All the while advancing in your own life, and taking care of yourself as well."

_Fill my heart with song_

_And let me sing forever more_

_You are all I long for_

_All I worship and adore_

Fitz took the little black velvet box from inside his pocket and presented it to her. "I can tell you Mellie Ray, this box has been burning through the coat material all night. Taking it out feels like I've lost ten pounds," he laughed anxiously. "I know you don't like to be too flashy, but I didn't-" Fitzgerald began rambling on, when Mellie giggled, "Fitz open the box please."

_In other words, please be true_

_In other words, I love you_

"Oh right," his fingers fumbled until the box was open and the most beautiful engagement ring shined in even the dim lights. One big diamond was placed in the middle, supported by two smaller ones on the side. "Melody Rayna Johnson, will you please grant me the greatest pleasure of life? Will you marry me?"

Mellie nodded her head up and down radically, and she had no idea of the tears falling from her eyes until Fitz wiped them away. She got up and threw her arms around his neck, "Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you Fitzgerald."

Mellie stood still as the memory retreated back into the black hole, where she stored anything pre-2012. Gracie had the manners to stand still and wait for Mellie to proceed with instructions on the bottle in her hand.

"I'm going to keep this one with me as well Gracie," she whispered. Mellie placed it next to their wedding bottle, and then both her and Gracie looked at the last bottle left. _This one couldn't possible mean anything. We're all out of happy memories. _Her painted red nails pulled the grimy bottle from the rack and it really took her a moment to read the faded words on the bottle.

_L &amp; D Brigade_

_Spring Equinox 1991_

"No fucking way," Mellie whispered. _You did not keep the wine bottle from the night you deflowered me Fitzgerald Grant. How the fuck did you get a hold of this?_ Mellie blushed as the memory itself was brought back to Technicolor.

* * *

_Are we out of the woods yet? NOPE. -O.M._


	4. Camelot Minus The Flames

_Alright, so I am really excited and thankful about all the feedback I have been receiving! Hopefully I continue to entertain you all. Also I apologize in advance for any typos, I was too excited to post this chapter that I haven't gone and revised it to my full extent. For now enjoy the enchantment of Camelot. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton _

* * *

**Camelot Minus the Flames**

Mellie had no idea where Fitz was driving them.

"Seriously Fitz, I have a test on Tuesday and you're screwing with my study plans."

"You wanted to know where I go every day for a month with absolutely no communication possible Mellie. Well for this one day a year, I'm allowed to show you." Fitz smiled at his law school girlfriend.

"Oh God, you're in a cult. Holy shit, are you part of some secret society? I mean we hear about them all the time at Yale, but I didn't even think . . . " Mellie began to freak out, "I don't want to wear medieval doctor masks and drink the blood of the brothers that came before you!"

Fitz cracked up as he saw her hands start to shake slightly on her lap, "I am not part of a secret society!" Mellie's breath calmed down; when he continued, "Well it's not one of those crazy one's, it's just a male club for elite Yale law students."

Mellie rolled her eyes and growled, "Oh, so it's a rich pretty boy club."

"We like to call it the Life and Death Brigade, give us a little credit Mellie Ray."

She smiled at him, the adventures never ended with this boy. "You just better take care of me all night Fitzgerald, I refuse to die during midterms. I will not give Professor Wright the pleasure of mocking me in the after life."

"Everyone told you not to take his class if you didn't agree with his political vie-"

"He's an idiot who is only teaching at Yale because he has tenure. He's had tenure for over sixty years! He needs to retire, stubborn old wrinkly smelly impossible man."

Fitz knew very well by now to just keep his mouth shut when it came to arguing about Mellie's competence. He always let her complain and vent, and many times before he had tried to make her see that not everyone would like her, and that didn't mean she was an idiot or wrong, but just not everyone's cup of tea. She usually waved her hand in front of her face, to signal him to shut up.

They finally pulled up to a campsite in God knows where Connecticut. Fitz opened the door for her, and they made their way into the forest. Where along the trail Mellie couldn't help but sing off key,

_Into the woods,_

_It's time to go,_

_I hate to leave, _

_I have to, though._

"So help me Mellie, I regret buying you the soundtrack to that musical." Fitz grunted as he continued to pull her along the path. Mellie continued to annoy him by switching to another one of her favorite musicals, _Wicked_.

_Popular!_

_I'll teach you the proper poise when you talk to boys_

_Little ways to flirt and flounce, ooh!_

_I'll show you what shoes to wear_

_How to fix your hair_

_Everything that really counts_

Knowing he couldn't get her to be quiet, he simply requested a change of song choice.

"Next!"

Mellie caught on to his game and switched quite rapidly to Les Miserables.

_Phantom faces at the windows_

_Phantom shadows on the floor_

_Empty chairs at empty tables _

_Where my friends will meet no more_

_Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask-_

Fitz finally placed his hand over her mouth to shut Mellie up. Even as she continued humming the song he rolled his eyes, "I am never taking you to another Broadway show in my life."

Finally they heard the sound of music, and people talking, laughing, and screaming. The campsite came into view, but it was from another time. There were large tents set up all over the field, tables with food and wine. It looked like a mini-renaissance fair with all the medieval flags in patters of maroon and gold, and blue and white, she suspected for Yale. But what caught her eye was the large round wooden table smack in the middle of the campsite.

Mellie turned to Fitz with a look of wonder in her eye. Suddenly two people raced in front of them both grinning ear to ear. "My King," the boy and girl giggled and curtsied quite unbalanced, then took off sprinting hand in hand again.

She gave him a quizzical eye and then said "Fitzgerald you have been holding out on me!" Mellie smacked his shoulder playfully, and then pecked his cheek with a kiss. People continued to run around in chaos, and Mellie couldn't quite comprehend what Fitz's had gotten her into. He chuckled and led them to the biggest tent of the rest, inside there was oil lamps, a sofa, full size mirror, and a queen sized bed with cream and gold colored sheets.

Mellie sat on the edge of the bed and smiled up at her boyfriend, "I'm assuming you are King Arthur in this? I mean medieval decorations, the huge round table, which I'm assuming is supposed to be "the round table", that held King Arthur and his knights, and every drunken fello and fella has curtsied terribly at you the whole walk over here."

Fitz approached her slowly, and the orange glow of the tent made him even sexier than she could ever imagine. "Would I ever be anything less than a King?" He pushed her back gently on the bed and rubbed her side up and down with the lightest touch of his fingers. There faces were only mere inches away from each other.

Mellie shivered underneath his body, "You do know Camelot went down in flames right?"

Fitz kissed her gently and reached for something that had been hidden under the plentiful pillows. Grabbing it with as much as his hand could grasp, he slid it right next to their laying bodies. Mellie turned her head to the right and sat up abruptly to investigate.

It was a giant rectangular box with black ribbon. Mellie looked at Fitz with the bluest eyes. She placed the gift on her lap and then untied the ribbon with hurried fingers, the top of the box was thrown across the bed and Fitz laughed. Inside was a beautiful red ball gown and matching gold sandals.

"You always look so good in red," Fitz whispered huskily. Mellie put the gift to her right and threw herself into his arms. "You are the best!"

Fitz kissed the top of her forehead, "Dinner will be ready in an hour my Queen. I know it's last minute but I know you always carry, foundation, your favorite eye shadow, mascara, blush and lipstick in that satchel of yours." He winked at her and then walked out, leaving her to her squeals of joy and ten-second silly dance.

Twenty minutes later Mellie had starting braiding from the top of her head and once she hit halfway she stopped gathering from the sides and finished the French braid with the air she had already gathered. This style was always easy for her to do, and she liked the way her natural waves complemented it. She took a look in the mirror in her under garments, thank God she preferred thongs over any other type of underwear, other than girl boxers on Sundays or supreme don't talk to me study days, because she couldn't imagine wearing the elegant dress with Calvin Klein's underneath.

Mellie took a look at the beautiful red dress she had laid out on the bed. It was exquisite. The front had a red floral lace bodice, and a V-neck that exposed just the right amount of cleavage. The floral design flowed into the rest of the red satin that started a couple of inches past her waist. It would hug her right in all the right places.

With excitement to final put it on, she picked it up from the bed and held it in front of her. That's when she realized that the dress was open back. _Sneaky Fitzgerald! Now I won't be able to wear a bra. _She reached behind her back and snapped her nude bra off and then climbed into the dress.

Just as she had imagined, her bust was exposed only so much that it left enough to the imagination, and her hips looked magnificent. Mellie put on her matching gold sandals, and then applied her makeup. She always carried around her favorites because they were easy to apply and gave her natural beauty. Her eyelids shimmered, and her lips were glossed to perfection. She gave herself one last look in the mirror and smiled, she definitely felt beautiful.

"Ray?" his voice made her jump. She turned around to find Percy, her undergraduate best friend under the flap of tent he was holding up at her entrance. He had always been a handsome boy, and law school had done him well. Percy had been a junior when she entered Yale as a freshman, and she had forgotten that he too had been admitted into Yale Law School three years ago.

"Percival Archibald Lawrence do not tell me you are a part of this rich boy club?" Mellie laughed as she walked over to him, and then proceeded to throw her arms around him. Percy laughed and picked her up for one spin and then put her back on the ground carefully.

"Guilty your honor," his deep voice sounded ancient, and it triggered the many memories they had in her dorm common room at three in the morning talking about the ridiculous expectations they were supposed to live up to, their major, and often irrelevant things like movies, bands, and celebrities.

Mellie took a moment to look at Percy, his eyes were still green mixed with hazel, and they often changed color back and forth, it always made him interesting to look at. His hair was dark brown, and she could see that he had let a little fuzz start to grow around his lower cheeks, chin and above his upper lip. His smile was still goofy, but perfectly brightened as snow.

"I have to say Ray you look ravishing," Percy smiled as he grabbed her hand and twirled her around, letting her dress swish and sway perfectly. Mellie blushed at the use of his nickname for her.

"No one's called me that in a long time. God how long has it been? I haven't run into you at all in school! Only that one time a year ago and it was so quick because Fitz- well Fitz was Fitz," she smiled brightly up at him. Just as Percy was about to answer, the tent entrance flipped open. Fitz's mouth was open as if he was about to say something when he closed it shut.

The tension increased dramatically, and all Mellie could do was watch as both men sized each other up. Percy was 6 '5 a solid three inches taller than Fitz and always used that to his advantage.

"Grant," he nodded at him and placed his hands in his pockets very nonchalantly.

"Persephone," Fitz smiled at him with a gleam in his eyes.

"Fitzgerald!" Mellie scolded him, she hated when she referred to him by that ridiculous and disrespectful nickname.

"It's fine Ray, some of us obviously haven't matured in the past year," Percy smiled at her and then proceeded "I'll see you guys at dinner." Then he walked out silently.

Mellie turned to Fitz fuming, "You are ridiculous."

"His parents shouldn't have named him Percy, if they didn't expect his friends to bully him with Persephone."

She scoffed, "Friends? Please Fitz you and Percy are anything but that. Come one let's go we're going to be late."

Before she could storm out of the tent and be angry with him all dinner, he grabbed her hand and pulled her body close to his. Fitz whispered into her lips "I'm sorry Mellie Ray, I will be nice, I promise."

She looked up at him with her blue orbs and pecked his lips, "Thank you love."

"Did I mention you look astounding?" Fitz smiled and pulled her to the bed. He pushed her down to a sitting position, and then bent low to retrieve another box hiding under the bed frame. "You're just missing one thing."

Mellie waited as he came back up with another white box with a black ribbon. It was huge. This time Fitz opened it, and Mellie peeked inside. She saw a gold crown, and a matching gold tiara with a red ruby placed in the middle.

"A King always needs his Queen." He then proceeded to put his crown on first, and then placed the tiara on Mellie's head. "Now we are ready to go." She stood up and watched them both in the full size mirror.

"Screw you Harmony, who's the Queen now?" Mellie smirked at herself.

"You really have to let that go," Fitz laughed. But Mellie just gave him a death stare. Every time Mellie brought up one of her accomplishments, Harmony just always shoved in her face that she had won Prom Queen and Homecoming Queen, while Mellie had just been nominated.

Finally the couple walked out into the starry night, and the place had been transformed once again. There were twinkling white lights all above them, and fires had been lit on poles all around the campsite. As they approached the large round table, Mellie saw that everyone had already taken their seat.

"We're late . . ." she whispered to Fitz.

"No, everyone else is just early," he whispered back at her. Once one member spotted them, he stood up and everyone else followed suit. Soon the whole table with about thirty students was bowing their head as Mellie and Fitz walked to their seats.

"Just wait until you're President, it will be like this everywhere you go." Mellie laughed.

Fitz rolled his eyes at her and laughed, "What are the chances of that ever happening?"

As they sat down everyone else did too. The table was filled with wine glasses, bread and butter, fruit, chocolate covered strawberries and Oreos. Fitz clinked his glass with his spoon and everyone quieted down to hear him.

"I really enjoy when we are able to bring our significant other, or friends to these events. So first and foremost I want to thank all of you for accepting our invitation, and attending. The Life and Death Brigade has been around for generations and it's tradition that we continue to hold these festivities, as extravagant as they might be. But that's most of the fun."

Fitz paused, "Now as your King," the boys at the table made howling noises or began to hit the table in excitement. "Alright, alright! As I was saying, as your King I thank you for electing me. I will continue to make these events as exaggerated and expensive as possible. So after dinner, remember we have the haystack maze, and whoever finds the Yale flag first wins eternal glory. I would give you bloke's money or food, but what you guys really want is bragging rights."

"Hear, hear!" a man yelled and raised his glass. The rest of them did the same "Hear, hear!"

Fitz laughed, "Now we eat!" Out of nowhere waitresses and waiters began to serve us our plates of food. Mellie finally took a good look around the table, and recognized some faces, then directly across from them she saw Percy and a petite nice looking girl, with short brown hair, and large brown eyes. Their eyes made eye contact and she smiled politely at the couple. Then she felt a light feather touch on her wrist, and Fitz stole her attention with a chocolate strawberry approaching her lips.

The dinner went on for two hours. Stories were being tossed left and right, and Mellie hadn't laughed so much in her life. Finally everyone was full and ready to head into the haystack maze. Everyone made his or her way towards the large entrance, and with the movement of Fitz's right hand everyone took of drunkenly into the madness. As Mellie tugged Fitz forward, he pulled her back.

"No, you and me, we have different plans."

Before she could react he had picked her up over his shoulder, and she squealed with delight. Fitz carried her the entire route to his surprise. Finally at the edge of a small lake, Fitz set her down on the ground.

The first thing that Mellie saw was a white pickup truck. She turned her head towards Fitz and laughed, "Can you even name the model?"

"Hey, I know where you came from my Southern belle," he kissed the top of her head and led her to the bed of the truck. It was filled with layers and layers of soft quilts, blankets and pillows. "Plus I know that if I tried to lay you down with a simple blanket on the grass you would never be comfortable because you're terrified of any insect or reptile to roam this Earth."

Fitz helped Mellie into the back of the truck and climbed in after her. They both laid down on their backs and stared up into the night sky. The stars were beautiful out tonight. Both of them were comfortable with the silence that surrounded them. Mellie cuddled into Fitz's side and her held her close to him. He lazily rubbed circles into her side, and she could feel herself drifting off into a sleepy daze. But this night was too perfect to end at ten o'clock, so she fought to keep her eyelids open.

"Today . . ." Fitz's voice abruptly stirred the noise of the crickets, and Mellie turned on her side to face him, her head was resting on her left hand. "When you made the comment about me being President one day . . ." he continued in a hushed tone. Mellie's lips turned into a small smile, and she brushed the side of his face softly. "Were you being honest? Do you really believe I can run the country one day?"

Mellie stayed silent for a couple of seconds trying to gather the correct words. "You care genuinely about every person you have ever met, but you do not tolerate pity. You believe in the opportunity this country has to give, and you understand that although we are brought up to believe we are all created equal, some circumstances are harder for others to accomplish. Fitz, you deal with situations that others turn a blind eye to. You refuse to sweep problems under the rug. I believe if you want to be President one day, it is a path worth taking, because you will never be alone. You have the potential to be Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, arguably the most powerful man in the world."

She grinned at him, and with out another moments notice he pounced on top of her, silencing the giggles that erupted from deep with her abdomen. His mouth crushed onto hers and she felt his tongue along the edges of her inner lip. Fitz's right hand cradled Mellie's cheek and the other held her at the waist. After the two had to come up for air, Fitz touched Mellie's nose with his own and stared deep into her eyes.

"I love you." He smiled wide, as if something in him had just been freed, "I love you Mellie."

She stared up at him in shock, grasping words no one but her father and mother had ever told her. The look on his face was pure joy.

"I love you too Fitz."

Then their lips crashed together once again. This time it was different. Their fingers were needy; grasping and groping anything within reach. Fitz's right hand went up Mellie's neck and cupped the back of her head, with just the right amount of pressure he pulled her hair to allow him access to her creamy pale neck. His lips made contact with her soft skin, and he sucked on a space right below her ear that made her throw her head back with pleasure. She hadn't even noticed her arched back until she felt his left hand on her backside.

Suddenly there was a large noise, which sounded like someone blowing into a cornucopia. Fitz growled into her neck, "You are fucking kidding me."

"What is it?"

Fitz got up and hopped of the bed of the truck, once he finished straightening his suit out he held out his hand for Mellie to slide out as well. "It means someone found the damn flag. Yay go bloody bulldogs." Mellie couldn't help but laugh at Fitz's irritation as he dragged her back to the campsite.

Everyone was gathered around a bonfire that she failed to notice before, and Fitz gave the last speech of the night. With one last "Hear, hear!" and a glass of wine everyone retreated back to their tents.

Fitz walked with Mellie hand in hand back to her tent. Once inside the privacy of the large room, Fitz bent down to kiss his girlfriend goodnight. As he turned to leave she pulled him back by his suit with a seductive smile.

"Don't leave," she whispered, lust dripping from her tongue. Fitz's eyes grew wide and he couldn't help but question her actions. "I said, do not leave this tent Fitzgerald." With as much bravery as she could muster, she reached behind her and unzipped her dress, letting it become a pool at her feet.

Mellie enjoyed the fact that his eyes didn't break contact with hers even when she was naked, only covering her most private area. Fitz stepped closer to Mellie and touched her bare skin, pulling her closer to him. He kicked off his shoes, and slowly backed her up against the edge of the bed. She gently tugged at his coat and it fell to the floor with a soft thud. Mellie's fingers shakingly worked on his buttons until that too joined his coat. With soft caresses and gentle kisses in the most sensitive of places, they finally found themselves both nude and in bed together.

Fitz loomed over her, and whispered beautiful nothing into the air. Right when Mellie felt the encounter was going to officially begin she decided to whisper something that she felt she needed to, "Fitz . . . I know you probably have you know . . . before . . . but I haven't. This is . . . you are . . . this is all new to me."

Fitz grazed her lips and whispered back, "Don't worry, you're my first too Mellie."

Mellie was confused, she knew that at their age of twenty-two, the chances of them both being virgins was slim to none. But she relished in the idea of both of them experiencing this for the first time . . . together. She pecked his lips and informed him that they need not to worry because she had been on the pill for over a year now.

The orange glow of the oil lamps created an indescribable ambiance, and Mellie felt a level of comfort with Fitz that she knew she would never find with anyone else. He continued to kiss her softly, running a route down her stomach and back up. With one final kiss on the lips, she felt him enter her and everything else from the night on was a blur of pure bliss.

* * *

_Stay tuned folks. What happens when Mellie is brought back to the present time with a tortured Fitz? Plus, I don't just introduce new characters for mere pleasure. I will try to post the next chapter as soon as possible. Until then, review and follow! -O.M._


	5. What Kind Of Man

_Sorry for the long wait guys, it took a while for me to get my thoughts into words for this chapter. I thank you all for the feedback and __interest! As I've said before, hopefully I keep it up. Just a quick note, finals are coming up so chapters might take a little bit more time to be posted. Not TOO long but longer than a few days, as I have been regularly been posting. Okay enough of my blabbing, enjoy a tortured Fitz!_

_-Olive Middleton_

* * *

What Kind Of Man

Fitz woke up to the silence that usually followed him around these past days and nights. His surroundings felt unusual, there were no blankets underneath him, and the faint scent of vanilla body spray was diffusing from the quilt that was covering his body. The image of Mellie popped into his head, and he couldn't tell if he had dreamed of her or if she really was in his home. But as soreness came from his yawn, the memory of her hand smacking him across the face made clear that yes Mellie was in fact somewhere in this house.

Mellie was curled up on the couch waiting for Fitz to wake up anytime now. After the emotional roller coaster she had been on in the basement, all she needed was some television to get her mind off of everything. She felt a bit paralyzed, staring blankly at their large flat screen. The house was cold, and she had no idea where any of the blankets were. The decision to send Gracie home early seemed terrible now, but if Fitz decided to act up she didn't want her to witness it.

She decided she should at least try to find the thermostat. With a grunt she pushed herself off the couch and decided to try the hallway where all the rooms were. Just as she was about to turn down the hall, his door opened. They both stood still looking at each other, both were fearful to move an inch. Their eyes locked and the battle to not look away had begun.

Fitz took a good look at his ex-wife, and he realized a few things had changed. She had let her hair grow long again, and her natural waves started to come back. Mellie had always been a curvy woman, but never out of shape. He could tell by her toned arms that she had started working out again. But what really drew his attention was the complete nakedness of her left hand. Even after their divorce, it took a while for Mellie to take off her wedding and engagement rings. He remembered it clearly because it drove Olivia insane for months.

"I had to take them off sometime didn't I?" Mellie whispered noticing where his attention was drawn too. "Just took me a bit longer than you, is all. I didn't exactly have warning remember?" Her face turned down, and she could feel his stare burning into her skin. But Mellie refused to take pity on her divorce; she wouldn't come across as weak. "Nonetheless what happened has clearly worked out better for the both of us."

Fitz approached her slowly, until he was standing directly five inches from her body. He grabbed her left hand, and rubbed the spot where the rings used to reside. "Your finger still has ridges, those rings haven't been off very long." His smirk sent a dagger through her chest. Just as she was about to refute against his words, he walked passed her and into the kitchen.

Mellie followed right after him, and watched as he opened the fridge closed it, then went on to the liquor cabinet and then slammed it shut. She rested her back against the wall and waited for him to search the entire house. From her place in the kitchen she heard him yell out in frustration from his office.

Suddenly his figure appeared from the entrance of the hallway on the other side of the house. Fitz's eyes were wild and Mellie said in a sturdy tone "You really need to find better hiding spots for your liquor."

"You bitch!" he yelled and slammed the side of his fist into the wall.

"Oh honey be a little bit more original than that," Mellie laughed at him. Then she made her way to the oven and opened it to find his barbeque still warm. Luckily Gracie had left the mittens on the counter, so she put them on and grabbed the pan out. Fitz hadn't moved an inch and was still fuming. The smell of meat roamed around the room, and she proceeded to the refrigerator. Grabbing a bottle of water, and on the way back a plate that Gracie too had left out for her. She took the burger from its place on the pan and dropped it onto the plate. Then slid the water bottle next to it.

"Here, eat or don't eat, but I know you have a throbbing going on in your brain right now. So what I think the most intelligent decision you should make is to eat this fucking sandwich that your delightful ex-wife knew would cure your hangover, and take an aspirin afterwards. Got it?" Mellie growled, and stared at him with a look of anger. Fitz rubbed his temples, sighed, and walked towards her and the large triple chop sandwich.

His eyes widened at the deliciously looking food. Without a second more he began to garble it down. Mellie internally smirked; it was like she had never left. Well like _he_ had never left. The thought of this made her recoil from him, and she took a step back unknowingly. _You're just here to figure out why he's been acting out. The basement is screwing with your emotions right now Mellie. Nothing has changed. Nothing._

"You have a trail leading to some type of gazebo around here right?" Mellie asked. Fitz looked up from his plate, and swallowed. "Yah . . . just follow the stones, it starts right when you leave the patio."

Mellie sighed, "Alright, I'm going to go get some air then, and leave you to your food. I have to check in with Liz anyway, just because I leave Virginia doesn't mean I stop being a senator." Mellie made sure that her phone was in her back pocket and walked out into the dawn. Silence surrounded Fitz again, he hated to admit that it wasn't a pleasant feeling, and he was getting quite sick of it.

Mellie found the path quickly, and was happy that there were little lampposts along the route because it would be dark soon. She clicked her phone on, and wished she didn't. There were at least twenty e-mails on her screen. Without another thought she called Liz and to her surprise there wasn't much she was expected to do. The e-mails had been about events that needed her attendance, or requests for her at special occasions.

Liz had slowly turned into her best friend, and Mellie was glad. It was always hard for her to warm up to another human being, nonetheless another girl. They always warded her off as competition or never bothered to hold a conversation once Fitz was out of sight.

Mellie took a look around, and couldn't help but be mesmerized by all the fruit growing on the ground for Olivia's jam industry. She fought the urge to pick out a strawberry and eat it.

Dusk approached and she started humming to a nameless tune, and stared at the surrounding hills and stars. If there was something she loved about the country it was the view of the night sky. Finally the gazebo came into eyesight, and she walked up the steps. There was a bench all around, so Mellie plopped down and dialed her home phone. The dial tone rung three times, and finally a little voice answered.

"Hello! Grant residence, Teddy on the line."

Mellie couldn't help but laugh at her son's pre-pubescent voice answering so maturely "Hey buddy, I love the way you answered the phone, have you been taking lessons from Nanny Anne?"

"Yah mom! She saw your name and let me answer!" Teddy said excitedly. Mellie's heart melted as she pictured his toothless grin.

"Well I am proud honey, are you behaving?" Mellie stood up from the bench and leaned on the ledge, looking out to the scenery. Teddy went on about his superb behavior, how he helped Anne clean the table and rinse dishes, and finally settled on describing what he thought was the most epic episode of Teen Titans.

Then the little voice across the line murmured, "So you're with Daddy?"

Mellie shocked stayed silent for a second and then answered him, "Yes, I'm here at his house in Vermont."

"The jam mom! Has Olivia given you her jam?"

"No sweet pea, Olivia isn't here. But I'll make sure to grab some for you before I head back okay?"

"Sounds good momma. Tell daddy I love him, and be nice. You always tell me to be nice, and now I'm telling you."

Mellie smiled softly, "Yes baby, I will be nice to daddy." The last word made her cringe internally as it flowed unconsciously through her lips. She always referred to Fitz as his 'father' or 'dad' it was never 'daddy' because it wasn't the same once they were separated. Changing the subject, she said, "So you want to play a word game?"

The six-year old boy quickly went along, he loved games, especially when he won.

"Okay we're going to play Kelly's Green Glass Door. Now only certain things can go through the door. For example I can take a spoon but not a fork. I can take the color yellow but not the color red. I can take pizza but not a burger. So you have to guess what you can bring in, what you can't and why. Do you understand?" Mellie explained as slowly as she could to her young boy. The chances were very far from him getting it, but she always liked to challenge her son.

"I think so," he answered his mom.

"Okay, guess and I'll tell you what can go in and what can't."

"A shoe!" Teddy answered excitedly.

"No." Mellie smiled.

"Karen!"

"No Karen can't go in but Anne can."

"Why can't Karen go in? Did she get in trouble again in Austin?" his voice whined, he always liked picking on his older sister.

"No she didn't," Mellie laughed.

"Fine, can I take a balloon in?"

"Yes, yes you can!"

"Can I take a book?"

Mellie was surprised, "Yes, Teddy you can."

"Words that start with a B! Momma right?!"

"No because you can take in pizza and that starts with a P, Teddy remember?"

"Oh yea," his voice became hushed with despair from not figuring it out.

"Why don't you think about it and I'll call you tomorrow night again bub?"

"Alright, I'm going to get it mom I promise!"

"Okay honey, I love you, goodnight." Mellie answered into the phone, and then awaited his goodnight and ended the phone call.

"Can I take a blanket?" a voice startled her from behind and she jumped five inches off the ground with a shriek. Mellie held her chest from the scare and looked into Fitzgerald's eyes. "No, but you can take a pillow."

He was leaning against the entrance of the gazebo, staring at her. _How long has he been there?_

"So I can take a spoon but not a fork, the color yellow but not red, pizza but not a burger, a pillow but not a blanket and Anne can go in but not Karen?" he asked crossing his arms in front of himself. _So he's been here for a while. _

"Does America's forty-fourth president need more examples?" Mellie rose her eyebrow, and leaned back against the railing.

"You were supposed to be nice to me," Fitz smiled and walked up to her, finding a place at her side, but facing the night sky and land. Mellie tried to control the rise of her pulse, but blush was creeping up her neck to her cheeks. He had obviously been there since the middle of her phone call.

"Thank you for the barbeque," Fitz said softly.

"You're welcome," she answered back into the silent night. They stood inches next to each other for the next few moments, neither knowing what to say. Mellie couldn't wrap her head around it. He wasn't a stranger, this was Fitz, she knew Fitz.

"We should-"

"I wanted to-"

The both of them spoke at the same time and shut their mouths simultaneously as well. Then Fitz turned to his ex-wife, "Your um, your hair has gotten longer, like it was in law school."

That really wasn't what Mellie was expecting, and she was tired of them tiptoeing around each other. So she turned to face him, and there noses were mere centimeters from colliding. Mellie saw the nerve in his neck twitching, and the curves of his thin pink lips. She always had a sexual attraction to Fitz, and that was something she would never deny. When Big Jerry died she felt a sense of freedom, she felt like she could finally open herself up fully again. But it was too late.

"I need to know why it seemed fit to call me Fitz. I am anything but a healer, so you need to tell me what it took to have Saint Olivia Pope knock at my door and ask for my assistance," Mellie said, never taking her eyes off of his. She could see him contemplating every possible answer and outcome in his mind; all the gears were turning. Then she lost him for a moment. For a second he wasn't staring back at her, he was somewhere else and she could feel it. He was putting pieces of puzzles together in his mind. Then his eyebrows scrunched up and he backed away from Mellie drastically.

"It's all your fault!" he whispered harshly at her. "You are the reason I am like this! How did I not see it before?! How did I not get this before! It's because of you!"

Mellie's eyes turned wide, "Excuse me!?"

Suddenly Fitz was in front of her grabbing at her delicate shoulders, "Why did you tell me to do it?!" he yelled grinding his fingers into her collar bone. His eyes were wild, and Mellie felt incredibly tiny beneath his stance. She couldn't handle the pain he was placing on her body or his voice shouting at her.

Mellie started crying from his physical pressure, "Fitz stop you're hurting me!" He realized what he had done and stepped back.

"FUCK!" he screamed again and hit the nearest pole to her right with an open fist. Fitz was seeing red and everything was spinning, he fell onto the wooden platform on his knees and couldn't control the sobs that began to erupt from within him.

"You said you thought I loved her. You said don't tell me we've been through all of this for a cheap screw. And she wasn't cheap and I did love her." Fitz told her through his weeping. Mellie didn't know how she found herself kneeling in front of him. The man had just left her bruises on her skin, but she was trying to understand his incoherent rambles. "You knew what I had to do, but why did you let me do it? Huh?" he asked looking at her, both of his eyes bloodshot.

Then Mellie connected everything he was shouting about together. She remembered him pushing her against the balcony, outside of their suite in the White House. Telling her he needed to send troops into West Angola in order to save Olivia Pope. It hurt, hearing him say that he did love her, that he did love Olivia Pope, because a part of Mellie in that moment wished he didn't. A part of her wished that Olivia had been a cheap screw. It hurts enough when your husband cheats on you with a nobody sex toy, but when your husband falls in love with another human being, that's more than cheating of the body. It's cheating of the soul. It's daggers stabbing her every moment of every day, knowing that Olivia Pope was the love of his life and she wasn't anymore. So Mellie built up walls, she accepted his affair and let him save Olivia Pope.

Fitz's didn't know that after she shoved the glass of brandy back into his chest and walked inside. She had locked herself up in the bathroom and slid down the closed door sobbing as silently as she could. There were days she could handle it, the affair, her husband fantasizing about another woman, but even as cold as she could be, that was a hell that she could never fully get used to.

"So now I am to blame for accepting your affair with Olivia Pope?! First I was to blame for it! For Christ's sake Fitzgerald, you need to stop accusing me for everything that has gone wrong in your life. I am a human being who can barely handle herself; I can't be accused of handling your decisions as well. And as far as I know, Olivia is alive and here with you, so don't you yell at me," Mellie growled at Fitz's. His eyes were gruesome to look at, but Mellie kept the staring game going.

"I murdered innocent men and women, for one human being. I murdered sons, brothers, fathers, husbands, daughters, mothers, sisters, and wives for someone who was saving herself anyway."

Mellie's face turned concerned, "Fitz . . ."

"I can't look at her, without thinking about the men who gave up their life for an unneeded war. And what's worse, is that they served with pride for our country, for me. For this great establishment that The United States of America is supposed to be. And how did I return the favor? I led them to their deaths. For my mistress. What kind of man was I Mellie Ray? I certainly was not the President you believed I could be in the back of that truck many years ago."

* * *

_How's that for an answer? Stay tuned, the stories not over yet. _-O.M.


	6. Kennedy

_Hey guys, I am very excited to continue writing this story. Each review was very gladly accepted. So here it goes. The other half of Fitz's story begins. It's one of my shorter chapters so bare with me, I will make it up to in the next one!_

_-Olive Middleton_

* * *

Kennedy

It occurred to Fitz that he had not called his ex-wife by her nickname in over ten years. The memory of its last use was far from his sight. When did it die down? When did their flames extinguish? The way her nickname had rolled off his tongue made him feel like all they had needed was some oxygen. Their relationship just needed to be left alone to breathe, in order for it to spark up again. But there were pressures in place; his father was the largest one, always above his head. Always above Mellie's head. Then there was Cyrus, although efficient, he was one of the greatest monsters in politics Fitz had ever seen. Lastly, when the time approached there was Olivia. Had he met her long before, he wondered if it would have turned out the same. But he would never let that thought continue on further because neither woman deserved it.

Mellie sat next to Fitz in silence, and they could here the wind rustling the leaves. Slowly Fitz scooted closer to her, and he lifted his hand to the purple marks that were forming on her collar bones. He had never gotten physical with any woman, and it pained him that what was torturing him inside was beginning to crawl to the surface.

As his fingers graced her delicate skin, he felt her slightly cringe underneath them.

"How many years?" he whispered.

"They said we had two."

"We've had so many," Fitz replied cupping her cheek. Mellie's tears rolled down her face silently and she fought the urge not to sob uncontrollably into his chest. It hurt, to watch her suffer in front of him. He could handle cold Mellie and politically hungry Mellie, both usually coinciding with one another. He could even handle depressed Mellie. But one thing Fitz never knew how to handle was a crying Mellie. She hated crying in front of him, and if it could be prevented then it was. Whether it be walking out of the room, or running into the bathroom.

One time. There was one time where Mellie had made it clear to Fitz that she was hurt over his affair with Olivia Pope. The night of his State of the Union speech. After Fitz found her on the floor, with the pearls from her ripped necklace all around, he comforted her. But Mellie had finally broken. It wasn't just Jerry's death that had played a crucial role in her acting out. It was Fitz finding out about her rape, and still not understanding that she had tried. That it wasn't all her fault. That the one thing she didn't want to do was drive him into the arms of another woman.

He had scooped her up and cradled her the whole way back to their room. Fitz had unzipped her dress, and dressed her in one of his T-shirts. Mellie thought that had made it worse, because it felt like he cared. As if it was just them two in the picture. She had worn the simple navy blue shirt with the words "London" across it before. But that was in London, on their honeymoon.

In the dark they both had laid in bed and Fitz continued to hold her, stroking her hair away from her face. Mellie found a comfortable spot on his chest, and her eyes were tired from crying and her body from shaking.

Their breaths were in tune with one another, deep and long. Had he made any movement he wouldn't have heard her whisper into the night "I wish you loved me, because no matter how much I try, I still love you Fitz. You are home to me."

Fitz had laid still at her words, not knowing if they were real. Mellie hadn't spoken sweetly to him in so long. Then he heard soft snores coming from her, and he knew Mellie had fallen asleep. The next morning came and she went back to herself. Neither of them ever brought up that night, and Fitz didn't know whether she remembered saying anything at all.

How did they get like this? They used to have fun. Chasing the other around their small apartment. Swinging their children in the air. Fighting constantly during their four hour long Monopoly games. Mellie couldn't handle all the pressure's that had occurred to her today. She didn't expect any of this to happen. Her and Fitz were settled, and they had decided never to look back a long time ago. But sitting here together, with no one around, made them feel twenty-two again. Mellie wasn't angry with him, and Fitz wasn't annoyed with her. The role of comforting him came easy to her, even under the worse circumstances.

Mellie grabbed his hand from her face and placed it back on his lap. "Fitz you made decisions, tough decisions, but someone had to make them. Olivia was in a position to either be killed by us or by them and-"

"Her name was Kennedy," Fitz cut her off with a sharp voice. Mellie looked at him with a quizzical eye, she pursed her lips closed and waited for him to continue. If he was going to talk about it, she wasn't going to interrupt him anytime soon. "Kennedy Adaline Karr I found out sometime later. I was in Austin visiting Karen by myself, and we were eating at this restaurant called Perla's on South Congress. There were a good amount of people around, and my agent was on guard of course. I went to the bathroom and as I am turning into the hallway in the back, a girl who barely looks eighteen stops me. She's half my height and staring me down with eyes that look like she's about to cry. I almost called my agent for help because it was so odd, she looked so innocent." Fitz sighed and rubbed his face before continuing. "She shoved a manila folder into my chest and said 'Jacob Julius Karr. Born June 17, 1995 and died March 17, 2015 when he was sent into West Angola by President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III.' I remember every word she said, and I clearly remember the way my voice dripped from her mouth like venom. 'Olivia Marie Pope, didn't have any clients from an estimated time period of four weeks at the end of April and beginning of March. Nor was she sighted during those four weeks in the White House. Her neighbor was declared missing and then presumed dead around the same time. Her neighbor's best friend went looking for Olivia, but didn't find her around the same time I assume she was taken by terrorists. Am I getting hotter Mr. Grant? Because on the last week of that time frame you declared war on West Angola!" I remember her face being livid and she was shaking as I opened the manila folder, and there were photos of her brother, and Olivia and I. There were copies of bills and payment times from Olivia's apartment. She had so many little insignificant documents that all added up. 'You sent my brother, who has served the Army since he was eighteen into a destruction zone, for no other reason than to save your mistress! She was one human being. ONE! MR. GRANT! I lost part of my family that day. Many Americans lost somebody they cared about that day, and I would have been okay with his act of honor for our country had he been sent into war for reasons beyond your lover. Does his life mean nothing to you?! Tell me Mr. Grant; do our lives come as an abundant disposal to achieve what you personally want? Was she worth saving after seeing the planes that came home holding hundreds of coffins with fighting American's that didn't need to die! Huh?! You have so many tools at your expense, and you put us in war! I was fourteen!' I've been replaying that moment in my head over and over again Mellie. Until all the gaps were filled. How did this young lady put all the pieces together? Turns out she's a genius, literally. Kennedy Karr scored a 132 on an IQ test. Perfect score on both her SAT and ACT. Guess where she's from? Katy, Texas only two hours south of Austin. I suppose I sent the wrong brother into war didn't I?" Fitz laughed sarcastically, knowing that they were ways off of being humorous on this subject.

Mellie sat shocked, and a little comforted that someone else knew. She hated that a little piece of her was grinning back at Fitz with smug look, but what goes around comes around right? He couldn't live in his perfect bubble forever. "I don't think Kennedy will expose you, she's only 18, no one would believe her. I also think she did what she had to do. If she was looking for a famous outing she would have gone to Sally Langston or Katie Couric. This was for her own personal closure. I sure hope you apologized and did everything you possibly could to make her brother feel appreciated."

"She wouldn't hear any of it Mellie!" Fitz waved his hand in the air exasperated. "SHE KNEW IT WAS ALL A FAUX PLAN. Anything I would have said or done could never bring her brother back. And me being like this isn't because I am afraid she'll out me. For heaven's sake I wish she did, maybe then I could repay each and every family in whichever way they need help! And it's not like I haven't thought about it before, I knew what I was doing saving Liv. I KNEW WHO I WAS HURTING."

"But you just pushed it to the back of your brain, because it was Olivia, Fitz! And had it been a minor situation that would have been alright, but three hundred and fifty-two people died. Including Jacob Karr."

Fitz looked at her with anger in his eyes and Mellie knew she had to say something to calm him down, or he would storm off and this conversation would never surface again.

"I'm not using Kennedy as a weapon against Olivia. She is who you love, and sometimes love is hard and it makes you blind. And that's okay. But would you have sent in troops had it been my lover-"

Fitz eyes shot up and his eyebrows crunched into a frown.

"Okay bad choice. If it was Karen's boyfriend, or Meredith's husband, hell if it was Cyrus's prostitute husband, would you have done it?"

Fitz stayed silent.

"It's a tough world when people will do something to save their own family. But they won't to save someone else's. If the world was going to end right now, and I gave you hope saying "Don't worry, do A your kids will live and the human race will too", you would do A. But if I said "Don't worry, do B, your kids won't make it but the human race will keep on surviving", you wouldn't do B because what's in it for you? Sacrifice comes in many forms, and there's always so much weighing down on either decision. If you are happy with your life, with Olivia, with Karen and Teddy, then you made the right decision Fitz."

"What about you? Are you happy?" Fitz asked, surprising her.

"This isn't about me. This is far from anything having to do with me Fitz."

"But it does," Fitz continued on, "you are part of my life. Kennedy is now part of my life. I can't un-see her, I can't un-hear her. It doesn't matter that I was happy with Olivia for four years; I can't look at her Mellie! I can't talk to her about this! Because if I say I shouldn't have sent troops into Angola, she'll think I don't care about her. But if I keep living with this on my shoulders, seeing her walk around every day without a thought of how many deaths lay at her stance, not by her choice by mine, it will kill me. She deserves more than this."

Mellie couldn't help but smile sadly. _She deserves more than this._ _Olivia always deserved the best. _That sentence hurt Mellie far more than she thought it would. How nice it felt a brief moment ago to pretend they didn't live such fucked up lives. I guess Mellie didn't deserve enough, because no one died on her account. She felt the butterflies in her stomach, and she croaked out.

"You need to decide whether your life is worth hiding secrets, or telling the truth. Because Olivia, is fifty shades of scared right now. And although I am seen as the heartless and selfish one in our passed confrontations, I never left you. But Olivia did what was better for herself each and every time. She was raised that way. So before she talks herself into leaving you again, you better make damn sure you're okay with that. Because if you're not, then muster up some guts honey and the truth shall set you free."

Before Fitz could see the tears roll down Mellie's face, she kissed the top of his forehead and sauntered on the trail back to the house. One forth back to the house, Mellie tried to control her sobbing. _Stop crying, stop crying. _Then she heard footsteps approach her rapidly from behind. Someone grabbed her hand and turned her forcefully the other way around.

"Don't walk away again, please. I am tired of being alone in this. I am tired of silence dawning on me all the time." Fitz had grabbed her face between both hands, and rubbed the tears away with his thumbs. Their foreheads met and Mellie tried to stay strong. _Walk away right now Mellie. Just walk away. _But in situations under pressure, we do what is comfortable, what we're used to doing. Mellie came to terms with her decision, even if it be the wrong one.

She nodded her head, and Fitz continued to wipe away her tears.

* * *

_Next chapter will be up soon! -O.M_


	7. Two Out Of Three

_Alright here's a flashback scene that I felt the absolute need to write._

_-Olive Middleton_

* * *

Two Out Of Three

Mellie and Meredith waltz drunkenly back into her mothers' mansion in North Carolina. There were far to many bodies that they both had grinded on tonight, and far too many different kinds of alcohol that they had both consumed. It was Mellie's last night as an unmarried woman, and Meredith refused to let her stay in and watch _Practical Magic _for the thirtieth time.

Fitz was staying with his groomsmen and father, at a hotel twenty minutes from the estate where her mother begged Mellie to get married. It took a lot of pull to get Big Jerry on board, but no one dares to pick a fight against Julissa Catherine Jones-Johnson. "Cathy" refused to change her whole name once marrying Mellie's father. But unlike her mother, she liked Melody Rayna Grant and didn't mind losing her surname.

Her own father, William, was staying at the same hotel with her stepmother and Harmony. Harmony had of course whined about there not being a bachelorette party, but if you weren't Meredith, Cathy, or Fitz, nothing you said mattered to Mellie that night.

As Meredith slammed the front door shut, Mellie giggled and turned around "Shhhhh!" They stumbled their way up the stairs and separated to take showers, then as they always do grabbed their blankets and headed back down to the living room. Mellie slid the furniture around to have room for their bed of blankets and quilts smack in the middle. They'd been doing this since the summers they had off in undergraduate and law school. Finally they both grabbed pillows from the couches and lied down parallel to each other.

"I can't believe you're going to get married before me. We always agreed that you'd be the money maker and I'd be the trophy wife," Meredith laughed as they both stared upwards towards the ceiling.

"Mer! I'm not going to be a trophy wife, I refuse," Mellie smacked her best friend in the stomach with her right hand. "No one thinks we'll make it in politics anyways . . ."

Mellie's voice grew quiet as she thought about the rehearsal dinner earlier that morning. She had been by Fitz, Meredith's or Catherine's sides all night. But as she finally excused herself from whom she was comfortable with, she caught drift of a lot of smack talk being whispered into ears that night. True, it had been from irrelevant and privileged friends of the family, but these were the people who like it or not would endorse Fitz and Mellie if they ever decided to run for any kind of official position. Her Aunt Nora was the most outspoken of the subject when approached by Mellie.

"Oh so you want to go into politics dear?" she remembered her aunts condescending voice as she sipped on her Jack Daniels whiskey.

"Yes, that's the plan. For both me and Fitz, Yale was a great law school to get us prepared." Mellie had learned her first fake smile as she answered that question trying not to get riled up.

"Oh honey, being a lawyer and being a politician are two very different things. You don't have the grind to make it in politics, you both wont last more than two years in that world, just find a good firm in California or even here in North Carolina, and build an empire from there," her aunt had answered passive-aggressively. Mellie's eyes crunched in and she was ten seconds from smacking her elder, had Meredith not caught wind of Mellie's rage face from a far and rushed her away from the scene. But the whole night Mellie's attitude had changed and she didn't like it. She knew what her and Fitz's were capable of, and everybody else be damned if they tried to tell her they'd be anything less.

Meredith's kick to her leg brought Mellie back to the present time.

"Oh shutup, you know very well that you have the capability of being the next Senator of North Carolina or whatever and Fitz will eventually be some big house name too. Then you would have left me in a boring firm back home in DC," Meredith said to her best friend. Mellie smiled and sighed, she loved having Mer around and every time she took her for granted Meredith showed just how much more valuable she was to Mellie. The silence prolonged and Meredith spoke into the dark.

"Mellie I have to ask this as your best friend, on the day before your wedding, it's just maid of honor code okay?"

Mellie's eyebrow rose unexpectedly, it wasn't like Meredith to be cautious and actually ask Mellie for her permission before being blunt.

"Yah Mer?"

Meredith sighed, and Mellie felt her stomach tighten up, "Are you in love with him? Does he make you happy?"

Mellie couldn't believe the audacity of her best friend, Meredith had seen the way Mellie and Fitz acted around each other daily, and how dare she question their love the day before the wedding. Mellie immediately turned to her with wide eyes and an open shocked mouth. "Why are you asking me this?!"

Meredith returned her agape mouth with her narrowed eyes and _don't bullshit me_ face, "Just answer the question Mellie, do you love Fitz? Because I know you, and I know that your biggest dream isn't being the beautiful wife _standing _next to a powerful man. You want to be the prized possession. You want to be somebody that women look up to, like Hillary Clinton or Elizabeth Warren. So as your best friend I am asking you now, do you love Fitzgerald? Because being married to a man like him will mean that you will be second. He will achieve his dreams then attempt to help you with yours. But Fitz will be priority in this relationship, and you have to know this because you are Melody Rayna Johnson, my best friend, top of our class, and you are not stupid, you do not look at things through an emotional perspective." By this time both of them had sat up Indian style in front of each other. Meredith grabbed Mellie's hands, "You are strategically intelligent, and if you are using Fitz as a way to gain power, you must know that you will be the second goal after him." Mellie's eyes softened due to Meredith's accusations, and she knew it was only for her own benefit. Meredith always needed to know the truth and be on the same page as Mellie. Whether it was good or bad, they were a team, either of them had each other's back. "So are you in this for love or political promise?"

"Mer," Mellie started and felt tears in her eyes. She blinked them away as much as she could and spoke softly, "I know that when I was dating before Fitz, it was for a bearable husband. Someone who made me look good, but still had enough credentials to be a successful husband. But then Fitz came along, and my game changed. Yes I want to be a strong political woman; I haven't worked this hard to be anything less. But I love him. You know this, and I know that I am a great "_politicians wife_", but every kiss, touch, and conversation with him is real. I am not that cold. I want what is best for the both of us. He will be a powerful man one day, and I want to support him the whole way along. I can handle the both of us Mer, I can help him achieve his dreams and I will achieve my own, I am capable of that much strength."

Meredith smiled, because although she knew the true Mellie she just always had to make sure. She threw her arms around her best friend, and the both of them giggled. Then for the final question, Meredith cleared her throat.

"What about the Navy?"

Mellie's eyes looked down and she smiled sadly, "That's more Big Jerry than it is Fitz. But he will only be gone for four years and that's okay because I'll be working at a firm and making a name for myself. And he will visit me every month, I don't think that will be enough but its doable."

"Being a wife to anybody in the armed forces is a tough job Mellie . . ."

"I will be okay Mer, stop worrying about me. I am about to be the happiest woman on Earth in about ten hours."

Meredith looked at Mellie with her green eyes, "You are my best friend, no matter what. So that means for anything, anything Mellie, when you need me I will be there. If Fitz ever does anything, you call me and I will make damn sure he never does it again." Meredith grabbed her best friends hands once more and laughed, "Because you know how much he hates me, it will be a joy to rip his ass at your leisure."

Mellie smiled, "He's a good man right Mer? I mean, I know you don't like him but you can see through bullshit and devious men. It's your forte, and you wouldn't have let me date him this long if you thought he was anything I couldn't handle."

"Why do you ask me, if you answer your own questions Mel?" Meredith laughed. Mellie looked at her with smirk, and then bursted into giggles with her. Then the two layed back down and felt their eyes droop, it was going to be a long day tomorrow.

Mellie couldn't sleep, _is this nerves? Why am I nervous? I love Fitz. But what if I'm being used as a means to an end? No, Fitz wouldn't do that. He wouldn't marry me because of my old money. Big Jerry would, but that's not Fitz. _Mellie turned to Meredith who was fast asleep and snoring softly. _What time is it? _She got up and toed her way up the stairs, until she reached her mom's room. As silently as she could open the door she did, and found her mother asleep with a facemask on. _Of course she would, oh mama Cat. _

Mellie climbed into bed beside her mom, and debated whether she should wake her up. _Oh fuck it. _

"Mom," Mellie whispered poking her mom's arm. "Mom wake up!" Mellie whispered more harshly as she shoved her mom's arm a little bit harder. Cathy groaned and opened her eyes, "Mom for the love of god I'm in distress here!" Finally Cathy saw the vision of Mellie come into view.

"Oh Mellie bee are you alright?" her southern accent came out as she called Mellie by her childhood nickname. Mellie smiled, she liked when her mother didn't tone down her accent like she did for clients, friends, or press. It just seemed much more like the woman she grew up with, then the shark people hated in the courtroom.

"Do you think I should marry Fitz?" Mellie asked, her blue eyes wide of anxiety looking straight at her mother. She started chewing at her perfectly manicured nails, until Cathy smacked them away.

"Mellie, what's going on?"

"Nothing, I just, do you think I should marry Fitz?" Mellie asked again, her mom pouted her lips and watched her very well put together daughter begin to unravel before her, "You wouldn't let me do anything stupid right mama? I love him, but this is big life changing decision, and I'm going to be a Navy wife for four years. So am I making a mistake mom?"

Cathy cradled Mellie's cheek in her right hand, "Mellie bee, I can only hope that I raised you well enough to know when you are in love and when you are settling. And in this sake I hope it's the first one."

"I do love him. You know that." Mellie frowned at her mom.

"Of course I do, I'm your mama." Cathy kissed her daughter's forehead. "I just have to make sure you realize it too, because I won't always be around to tell you these things."

Mellie cuddled into her mom's side and sighed, "What are you talking about, you're going to live until I die."

Cathy brushed Mellie's hair away from her face, comforting her "Oh hush, no parent should ever see their child die. Now go to bed, I'll be the crazy lady waking you up in five hours, and then you'll wish I wasn't around."

Mellie snickered and sat up, "Good night mama."

"Goodnight Mellie bee," Cathy smiled and then turned on her side to fall asleep again. Knowing very well that Mellie had one more thing to do before she was able to go to sleep. Two approvals down, one to go.

Mellie walked to her room, and grabbed her phone from the vanity. She looked at the number on her blackberry and pressed call. Then she ended it before the number could be dialed. Gaining some strength again she dialed the number and pressed the green phone button. Mellie could hear heartbeat through her ears, it was definitely increasing in pace. Three rings had gone by and she was about to hang up when a husky voice that had been disturbed from sleep answered.

"Ray?" she could hear the small smirk, through his groggy voice.

"Hey Percy," she smiled into the phone, "I didn't mean to bother you."

"You are never a bother Ray, even at 3:00 in the morning."

Mellie stayed silent for a couple of seconds then sighed, "I'm getting married to Fitz today Percy."

Silence.

"I know I should have told you, but I know you don't like Fitz and I know that you would have tried to stop me."

Silence.

"Percy please say something." Mellie croaked into the darkness. "Percy please, I'm sorry." Mellie's hands started getting clammy and she could feel her chest swelling. No one answered her on the other end of the line. "Percy say something, say anything. Yell at me or congratulate me, but please answer me."

Mellie's voice was on the edge of breaking into tears. Then she heard the dial tone signifying the end of the call. Suddenly her body wracked with sobs, and she tried to breath normally. But she found it impossible. She knew he wasn't going to take it well, but she didn't expect complete and utter silence either.

Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her. Meredith held her tight.

"He'll come around Mels, don't worry. He loves you too much."

"I didn't mean to hurt him Mer, I didn't mean to hurt him." Mellie continued to cry into her best friends arms, until the guilt in her heart got too heavy and she fell asleep next to Meredith.

Cathy found Meredith still holding onto a sleeping Mellie in the morning. "God damn it Percy, no amount of concealer will help hide those crying eyes from Fitz."

* * *

_So I know there was no Fitz in this chapter, but the next chapter should make up for it, trust me. I just really wanted to get some in depth background for Mellie. -O.M._


	8. Good Morning

_I enjoyed writing this chapter, get ready for some sass and fluff friends!_

_-Olive Middleton_

* * *

Good Morning

Mellie and Fitz stood in the pathway of different fruits, his hands came to rest on her wrists, and Mellie enjoyed the feeling of his light touch on her pulse points. Somehow her heart wasn't beating at an eradicated speed, it was slow and calm. She turned on her heel and led him back towards the house, the whole time Fitz's left hand stayed holding her right wrist barely enough to grace her skin with every step.

_This is okay_, Mellie thought. _He just needs consultation. I'll just bring him back to normal and leave him to Olivia. After all, that's whom he's married to now. That's also what I was brought here to do. I'm not here to love Fitz, I'm here to fix Fitz. _

Once they reached the porch Fitz stopped Mellie's hand before it could slide the back door open. From behind her he said, "Can we just pretend that you aren't here to heal me? Let's just enjoy each other's company. I won't get on your nerves if you don't get on mine." With this Mellie scoffed and turned around.

"I'm not going to tiptoe around your feelings the whole time I'm here Fitz. That's not who I am. I won't purposefully bring up Kennedy or Olivia, but if it happens it happens. I'm not altering myself to fit your unstable needs right now." Mellie growled at him, "So if you're hoping that we're going to walk in this house and pretend it's our own, you need to seriously clarify that thought up right now."

"Mellie, I am not using you as my puppet." Fitz's eyes widened and he took a step back, as if he had just been stabbed.

"You did just ask me to walk into this house, and follow whatever story line you have in your head. Actress and puppet, same connotation." Mellie took a step toward him and said in a low deep voice, "I'm not wasting anymore time pretending."

With that last statement Mellie stood in front of him and waited for a response. Fitz stepped forward, and simultaneously Mellie took a step back. Then they waltz again, and again until Mellie was pushed up against the glass door. She could feel his body inches from her, but neither of them were touching, then his right hand was placed directly next to her face and he loomed over her, "Fine, no more pretending."

His voice sent chills down Mellie's spine, and she knew what game Fitz was playing. _I need to clear my head, now. _With a breath into her lungs she turned and opened the sliding door as fast as she could, then walked at gazelle speed into her guest room. Mellie slammed the door shut and balanced herself on the back of it, _Get it together, and get out of the clouds Mellie. You've been doing so well for four years. Be his friend, not an ex-lover. Not a lover at all. _

Mellie ran her hands through her hair with frustration and opened her luggage. Scrimmaging for her bath products, and pajamas. Finally she grabbed her tote filled with her bathing supplies, and matching silk shorts, shirt and robe.

Twenty minutes later, Mellie felt renewed and fresh. She blow-dried her hair, put on her pajamas, and took a look in the full size mirror. Her long legs looked toned, and every time she stepped or tiptoed you could see her quad and calve muscles. Even the inside of her thighs looked tight. _I guess the slut machine at the gym does work. _She smiled at the name her and Elizabeth gave the machine that made you open and close your legs, with added weight to strengthen your inner thighs. Then she looked at the strappy shirt she had on; _maybe I should change because I forgot how great this shirt makes my chest look. No, Fitz and I are just friends. It doesn't matter what I wear, he is not going to be attracted to me. _Then she flashed back to him looming over her, _if he wants to play this whole game, so be it._ She grabbed her silk robe from the counter, threw it on and walked out of the bathroom, bedroom and into the hallway.

She was met by ruckus coming from the kitchen, and the smell of wonderful butter. As she floated her way towards the counter, she saw Fitz with his back towards the stove, flipping bread on a pan. By the looks of the cheese, butter, and thin sliced bread on the island she knew that he was making grilled cheese sandwiches. Mellie inhaled the mouth watering scent and felt her mouth crave the food, _I didn't realize I was this hungry. _

"I know you haven't eaten because you were too busy making sure that I did, and Gracie is no where to be found, so I decided that my grilled cheese skills should come out of hiding." Fitz said continuing to attend to each sandwich on the pan.

Mellie smiled faintly, "You were the sole cause of me gaining a couple of pounds in law-school." Fitz laughed genuinely and it was nice to hear his gentle chuckle, Mellie hadn't heard a real one in years. "Well you and that bakery that made beignets down the block from my apartment."

Fitz stayed silent for a moment and then said, "Do you remember when you lived in North Carolina? In that studio apartment? You knew I was home from the Navy base every time-"

"I woke up to the smell of burning cheese, because my stoves temperatures were all jacked up," Mellie laughed throwing her head back, "yah I remember that. That's _if_ you woke me up with a grilled-" her voice hushed down as she remembered the other way Fitz used to wake her up in the middle of the night, when he came to visit. Mellie hated sleeping with clothes on, even when she climbed into bed in pajamas, half way through the night she was always just left in underwear. So Fitz would strip down to nothing and start kissing her shoulder softly. Then he'd turn her on her back, and kiss down her body and back up. Every first hour of his arrival was spent loving the woman he left for weeks at a time.

Fitz caught drift of where her thoughts were leading and finally finished both grilled cheese, turned off the stove and put them on a ceramic plate. With a spin he turned and started to place them in front of his ex-wife. He almost dropped the plate from a foot above the island when he caught sight of Mellie's cleavage, if there was something he was sure about it was her c-cup chest and medium sized ass. Fitz tried as hard as he could to look away from Mellie as he finally set the plate on the granite. Mellie also tried her best not to grin; she simply picked up her plate and took it to the living room.

"So what does your movie selection look like?" she asked swaying her hips from side to side, until she found her place on their large couch. Fitz, gulped as he watched her leg muscles come out from hiding with each movement, his eyes skimmed their way down and up her long legs. He couldn't help but look at Mellie. It had been so long since they were in this atmosphere, and to tell you the truth Fitz never saw this coming. He never would have thought he'd be enjoying the presence of Mellie, and well he wasn't so sure if he was enjoying her presence. But he did know that they weren't yelling at each other, they had no reason to, they had no more vows to abide by, so they were just living.

"Karen left the whole Harry Potter series here," Fitz answered back as he switched the kitchen light off. "She's been waiting for me to send them back for weeks, but it keeps slipping my mind. I'm sure she's bought an even better pack by now though."

Mellie laughed, "Of course she did! I have one of the one's she bought at my house too!" she took a bit of the grilled cheese and relished in the flavor, she practically closed her eyes and moaned as she chewed. "I think that's her plan. She's been obsessed with the series since they came out!"

Fitz sat to the right of Mellie and leaned back, throwing his left arm behind the couch and crossing his legs. "Do you remember when we got called in for that parent/ teacher meeting?"

Fitz eyes widened at how loudly Mellie cackled, "What did she call that boy?"

"A filthy mudblood. Then she cried about calling him that because apparently Hermoine was a mudblood." Fitz answered reaching for the TV remote on the living room table.

"Oh yah! I remember! Mrs. Molina didn't know how to address it because a mudblood isn't technically in the dictionary but because Karen added filthy to the beginning of it, it must have been an insult! Oh the education system." Mellie sighed and took another bite of her grilled cheese.

Fitz switched on the television, and started sifting through the movies on demand. Both him and Mellie watched as the selection of movies moved on an on, until he saw _Into The Woods, _on a new film poster along with the different a-list actors including Meryl Streep, and Mellie's favorite, Emily Blunt. Fitz hated musicals but he knew how much Mellie loved them growing up, after all he was the first to take her to see _Les Miserables_ in New York City. So he tried to press the right arrow button to switch the film as quickly as possible but it was too late.

Mellie caught eyes of the 2014 rendition of _Into The Woods_ and with grilled cheese still in her mouth she yelped, "Go back!" and smacked Fitz with her free right hand, in his abdomen. She could already hear him moaning in protest, and as she swallowed the last bite of her grilled cheese Mellie launched for the remote in his right hand. Catching her intentions as he saw her pounce, Fitz lifted the remote as high and far as he could away from his ex-wife. She tried reaching for it, but her right arm landed next to his left side, and her cleavage was directly above his forehead. Fitz tried to feign her off by grabbing her waist and shoving her away with his free arm.

"I'm the guest I should choose the movie!" Mellie groaned continuing to attempt to reach the remote. Fitz struggled to keep it away from her, Mellie was strong and he was definitely sure by now that she did work out.

"I don't need you singing every ballad all throughout my house tomorrow Mellie Ray." Fitz hissed as his body was getting tired of Mellie putting pressure on him. But as his last words flowed through his mouth Mellie contracted back to her side of the couch in a sitting position faster than lighting.

"Stop calling me that Fitz," she whispered.

Fitz adjusted himself on the couch and leaned forward on his knees, brushing his hair away from his face he sighed, "Calling you what? I just called you by your name."

"No you didn't, you called me by the nickname that you haven't used since you were running for your first term as President." Mellie whispered looking down at her hands, Fitz turned to her and didn't know what to say. It was true; the most prestigious amount of time in their lives was spent without each other's love. "Just choose whatever movie you want."

Fitz looked at Mellie as she leaned against the left side of the couch and picked up her legs to her side, her body was the shape of an S. Fitz watched her for the longest time, but she made no facial expressions, she just stared blankly into space.

"Come here," Fitz said in a stern deep voice. Mellie looked up at him and scoffed. "Mellie, come here."

"Why?" Mellie practically yelled at him.

Fitz smiled gently at her, "I'm about to play _Into The Woods_ because you want it, and you don't deserve to be pouting through it all just to show me that you didn't like my name calling. I won't say it again, I promise."

Mellie watched him and she knew he meant well. She scooted her way over to his side, and they sat by each other as Fitz pressed play. Mellie began humming the tune to the prologue and Fitz mumbled, "Oh my God, it's just like law school."

The night flew by with Fitz actually enjoying the newly adapted version, and as the end credits started he turned to tell Mellie he really liked it. But he was met with her head slightly tilted back and her mouth open snoring. He chuckled because she had probably seen this movie more than five times already, but she had to get her way, even if she fell asleep in the end. Fitz knew that her neck would hurt in that position so he gently shoved her, and maneuvered her body until her face lay on his lap.

"I should go to my bed," Mellie whispered groggily. But as Fitz shushed her and ran his hands through her hair, she fell right back asleep. At least Fitz thought so, until half way into _Interstellar_, the movie he had chosen for himself after _Into The Woods_, he heard her whisper.

"Don't ever stop calling me Mellie Ray."

He didn't know if she was asleep or awake, but he smiled and continued to run his hand through her hair.

"Okay."

The next morning came early by dawn, as the sun seeped out of the ground and into the large glass screen doors in the living room. Mellie groaned as she tried to remember her surroundings, and why she felt so relaxed and warm. Then she felt someone tighten their grip around her waist. Fitz was lying behind her on the couch, she knew because her bottom was in direct contact with his most private area. She should have gotten up right away and went to her room. She should have kicked him away from her and yelled until he stormed into his office. She should have done everything that she did in the White House. But it felt too much like an old home. She didn't know if it mattered that it was Fitz, or if she just missed the human touch in general. But Mellie didn't resist it.

Then someone rumbled behind her into her hair, "Good Morning Mellie Ray," and she knew she was fucked. It was Fitz. It was his touch that she missed.

_It's like a medley of memories; it just all comes back. I think part of me knew the second I came to fix him that this would happen. It's not really anything he had said in the past, or anything he did ― it was the feeling that came along with it. Crazy thing is, I didn't know if I would ever feel that way again. But here I am with all these old feelings reappearing. How can the devil be pulling you toward someone who looks so much like an angel when he's around you? Maybe he knew that when he saw me. He knew I would love him no matter what or how he treated me. I just lost my balance. I think that the worst part of the past wasn't losing him. It was losing me. I built my life around him._

"Good Morning Fitz."

* * *

_Have to say it felt good writing some fluff. Stay tuned for what happens on Mellie's second day in Fitz's life. -O.M._


	9. The Second Circle of Hell

_Alright just a heads up to those who feel uncomfortable reading about sex, I recommend you skip this chapter! Scroll to the bottom and read the last __paragraph. Just so you get the jist of what happened. I myself have not really written any of these types of scenes before, so bare with me! But this flashback had to be written._

_Also authors note: This story is obviously a Mellitz one. So don't bother reading it if you hate the pairing. Simple as that. _

_Other than that, enjoy fellow readers! Your comments are so kind and keep me going! I am truly sorry I took so long to update._

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

The Second Circle of Hell

Mellie tossed and turned in her bed, it wasn't the loneliness that made her anxious, it was her senatorial run. Oddly enough they had listened to Olivia's advice. Tell the Virginia people that she had direct contact to the president, and that they come home to each other every night and talk about their day. _As fucking if._ But Mellie couldn't complain, the votes were looking more in her favor. But American's were turning on Fitz, and she thought she wouldn't feel empathy, but Cyrus was really good at getting under her skin and making those feelings blow away.

Fitz only had two more years in office, and by the end of this election only one year until they were both living separate lives. But Mellie couldn't think about that right now. She could look ahead on everything but him and Olivia, or him and her divorcing. Mellie just pushed it to the back of her brain. They were partners now, and it was finally working out for the both of them. They had hardly fought in the past few months, and it was different from before because they actually communicated very often without an argument every ten minutes. Before, they didn't argue because they _never_ talked.

Mellie turned towards the clock on her bedside and sighed, 2 AM. _Fitz is usually in bed by now. Unless he's on the phone with . . . Olivia. _Regardless if it was phone sex, or just conversation, she knew that Fitz still telephoned Olivia every so often.

Deciding she wasn't going to go to bed, Mellie kicked off her blankets and walked to the West Wing. The secret service was still on duty because the president was awake, so she wasn't disturbing anybody.

As she finally approached the entrance to the Oval, she stopped. What if she walked in on him and Olivia? She had never truly seen it with her own eyes and she didn't want that time to be now. A phone call she could deal with, but Mellie would never be able to un-see her husband pounding into another woman, and enjoying it.

Mellie felt like a child putting her ear next to the door; when a secret service man came to the door for his shift and tapped her on the shoulder and whispered "It's just him in there ma'am."

She let out a loud breath, blushed, and nodded at the large build man. "Thank you!" Then Mellie turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Fitz was leaning against the front of his desk sipping on some type of clear alcoholic beverage. He didn't flinch when the door opened, and merely smiled lazily at Mellie.

"I was just about to go to bed, you shouldn't have come looking for me," he said walking to one of the couches and sitting down.

Mellie crossed her arms in front of her chest, not realizing her nightgown was satin and barely enough to cover her cleavage without the matching robe. "You weren't going to bed, you were getting drunk. Don't lie to an alcoholic Fitz."

"You're not an alcoholic Mels," he whispered taking a big gulp from his glass and finishing it clean.

"Might as well be, considering the amount to hooch bottles I've been through in the past year," Mellie said taking a seat next to him. Fitz grabbed another glass beside him, and the glass container full of Vodka. He poured him and Mellie a round, and she coughed at the strong bite. She was not expecting hard alcohol from Fitz.

"God Fitz, you didn't even mix anything with it!"

Fitz couldn't contain his laughter as he said, "Coming from the one who basically drinks nail polish remover!"

Mellie giggled, "Well it get's the job done in a shorter amount of time."

"You couldn't even drink Screwdrivers in college without getting stupid drunk, and now we're at the level of Hooch and Vodka straight. Man, growing up really sucks." Fitz continued to drink.

"Amen," Mellie whispered as she finished downing her glass, and Fitz filled her a new one. "We should head to bed and let the secret service and maids get some sleep tonight."

Fitz smiled and poured himself what must have been his eight glass of alcohol, "Nah."

Mellie laughed, "Nah? What are you fifteen? You are so drunk Fitz." She took a look in his eyes and saw that something in him had changed. They were soft and glazed over. There had to have been a reason for him to get drunk on a Saturday. He never gets drunk; he always drinks but never gets drunk.

"Like you said, a lady never gets drunk." Fitz smiled and looked at his wife. His wife. It was weird that she still had that title, after everything they had been through. It kind of amazed him, and turned him on.

There was a time when Mellie wasn't abrasive or frigid. Where she was something in the middle, someone that wore nothing under a coat to his apartment door. Someone who brought him pancakes in bed. Someone who would peek at him from her textbook. Someone who was in love. It was Big Jerry's fault, Fitz knew this, it was his father's fault that Mellie became prude. But it was too late, they had already been far down the road of yelling and spiting each other, with words and other people, that they could never go back to the first fifteen years of their lives.

"Yes, but you are a man." Mellie said, the alcohol already deep in her system. She felt tingly and looking at Fitz with his white dress shirt undone, sleeves rolled up, and top two buttons off was making her hot. His veins were pulsing from his neck and forearms.

Fitz caught Mellie looking at him and thought that the past few months had been kind of strange. Yes, he was making up for the sins of his past. But he wasn't dreading it. He enjoyed the smiles that him and Mellie had been exchanging, and it was all new. Yes they got into arguments, but they had both learned not to yell it over the entire White House anymore. Their _partnership_ as Mellie liked to call it, was working out. Fitz wasn't exactly clear on everything he was feeling, but he didn't hate her anymore. Was it because Olivia wasn't around as much that she was pleasant? Or was it that Fitz wasn't ignoring her anymore? He wasn't being loving, and they weren't trying to be faithful to the other anymore. They were best friends. Just like freshman year of law school.

The thought of Mellie with another man though had angered him far more than it should have the first time around. He had waited years for Mellie to open herself up to him again, and that time never came. But once he got a mistress, once he fell in love with another woman, she decided it was okay to ride the governor of California? _Fuck no. _Fitz was happy to punch Andrew in the face, and he would do it again.

That was the most confusing moment of their relationship, to the both of them. They had not been intimate in years, and Mellie could not understand why Fitz was angry when he didn't love her anymore. Why did it matter that she slept with another man, when he had been sleeping with Olivia for the passed year?

No matter how far they both fled from each other, no matter the circumstances, they always found their way back to each other. Regardless if it was in the shape of love, hate, lust, loyalty, sympathy or friendship. They never ran out of style.

As they sat there in silence, Fitz couldn't help himself. Before both of them knew it he reached for her cup and put it on the wooden table. Then he pushed her down onto the couch, kissing her open mouthed. Mellie pushed him off, and slapped him with wide eyes. They stared at each other, and blue met green. Mellie grabbed the back of his head and brought his lips back to hers in a needy fashion. Their tongues battled for the conquest and Fitz's hands were going up Mellie's thigh. He had forgotten just how angel white her skin was, and how smooth it felt to run his palm up to her ass. He groped her bottom so hard that she yelped, pushing herself into his groin.

Mellie couldn't handle all the feelings that were pulsing through her. Her brain was telling her to get away from him, but that feeling in the pit of her stomach leading to the pool in her panties said to enjoy herself. _It's just sex. No passion, just lust. _Mellie ripped Fitz's shirt open and then pushed it off him, having to break their lips apart. She watched with fire in her eyes as Fitz stared down at her, and she felt vulnerable. _Is he making a fool of me? I don't care. He has me where he wants me, but I have him where I want him too._ Mellie sat up up from under him, and they were both on their knees facing each other.

Fitz put an arm around her waist and brought her closer to him. Their stomachs were touching and he began to assault her collarbone with his tongue and lips. Mellie threw her head back and moaned. At the same time, she began to undo his belt buckle. Sliding it through the loop holes and throwing it on the ground. Fitz grabbed her ass and continued to suck on her neck.

"Fitz you're going to leave marks," she whispered hoarsely in her deep voice. That's when Fitz's remembered that his wife had very sensitive skin.

He looked at her and smirked, "Then I'll have to find better places to suck on." He lifted her gown over her head, and watched as her breasts were revealed. If there was one thing Fitz's could not get enough of, it was the size of Mellie's breasts. He latched his mouth onto one, and Mellie couldn't handle all the moans that had begun erupting from deep within her.

She continued to take his pants off, and quickly he aided her and kicked them all the way off. Fitz pushed her back down on the couch and laid on top of her. Their underwear now only covered each of them.

Mellie could feel his erection rubbing into her private area, and she felt confident that he was turned on. But internally she hoped he wasn't thinking of Olivia as he was assaulting her neck. Then as if reading her thoughts, she felt his breath in her ear "How do you want it Mellie?"

There was no one else in this situation but the both of them. Mellie knew that for sure now.

"Just fuck me Fitz," she growled grabbing his erection. He hadn't heard that low voice that only came out in the bedroom, in a long time. His penis twitched at her voice, and Mellie knew they wouldn't last long.

Fitz took off both their underwear, and felt the wetness from Mellie. Finally, he pushed into her and she was tight. Both of them moaned in sync, and Mellie arched her back into him. Fitz pounded into her hard and fast, and Mellie bit onto his shoulder trying to muffle her screams. He had forgotten she did that when they tried to stay quiet. Her hand traveled to his behind and pushed him further and further into her. He loved the feeling of her hand groping him.

Suddenly Mellie pushed him off, and he watched her startled. She got up and grabbed his hand pulling him off the couch. Fitz looked at his wife nude, and had to admit Mellie was a beautifully created woman. Curves were everywhere.

By the hand she walked them until they were on top of the presidential seal, and pushed him down until he was seated right on it. With lust in her eyes she got down on his lap, grabbed his penis and placed him within her.

Fitz couldn't help but groan at the new position. Mellie started to move back and forth, and the new place made Fitz go deeper and deeper. He grabbed her waist with force and knew he was going to leave hand marks on her. Mellie increased her pace, and enjoyed hearing all his grunts of pleasure. She knew he was almost ready to release, when his face started getting more and more relaxed.

But she also knew that Fitz would never let her be on top when they finished. At the last second he switched positions and flipped her on her back. Pounding into her at the most blissful speed. Mellie moaned, no longer caring who heard and with one last thrust they both groaned and released.

Fitz stayed in her, but propped himself up to look at her face. She was smiling, and not a sad smile, but a pleased smile. With one last peck to her forehead, he pulled out of her and they both moaned at the feeling. In five minutes tops they dressed themselves, and walked back to their private residence hand in hand.

Mellie didn't know what to think, they were both still obviously drunk but it was okay to pretend like they weren't for now right? It was okay to pretend that they were in love. _No, this isn't love, it's a partnership. We both needed sex and that's what happened in there._

Mellie got into bed and Fitz climbed in after her. Unexpectedly Fitz loomed over her and pecked her cheek, "Goodnight Mellie."

She pecked his cheek back and said "Goodnight Fitz."

Then the two of them fell into the best rest they had in a long time. By the sun peeking through the windows in the late Sunday morning Mellie yawned. As she stretched she groaned at the soreness in her groin. _So we did fuck last night. God damn it. _

She turned to see Fitz already sitting up, reading The New York Times in bed. He looked so cute with his reading glasses. Catching her staring he looked at her and she could see a frown forming on his face. _Oh God, he regrets it. Of course he regrets it. I'm never enough, even for just a fuck, I'm never enough. _

"Mels I wanted to apologize for last night, you didn't-"

Mellie sat up and stopped him with her hand. "We were both very drunk, obviously. No need to apologize, it was a mistake. For the both of us." With that she got up and headed for the bathroom, almost in tears when Fitz called her again.

"No Mels, I was trying to say-"

Not having his crap, and trying very hard to not cry in front of him Mellie just snapped, "It's fine Fitz! It won't happen again, we just both needed to get fucked, and that was that. We fucked."

Fitz face recoiled in anger, and his eyebrows crunched in. Mellie was on the verge of breaking down so she turned and walked as fast as she could into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and as soon as the noise could muffle her cries she let them out.

_I will never let my drunken self, talk me into doing something like that again. God, it wasn't going to change anything. He still loves Olivia. Never again. I will never let myself fall into him like that again. _

Regardless if she told herself that it was just sex that night, it felt bad to have him not even be satisfied with their animalistic pleasures.

After that day Mellie stopped drinking alcohol. The first person to notice was Olivia, and then Fitz, but he only noticed days before their divorce was signed. Olivia knew it was during her senatorial race, but never knew why. And she would never know it was because of her and Fitz's drunken encounter.

* * *

_Ooooooo, that's why Mellie stopped drinking. Stay tuned, to find out how their relationship develops in Vermont. Will Olivia make an appearance? -O.M._


	10. No Flame Burns Forever

_Finals are over! Thank God. _

_-xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

No Flame Burns Forever

Mellie turned to face Fitz on the couch, the two of them were laying down, and his hand went up and down her side. She watched him as his eyes examined her. They laid upon her lips, and she began to feel uncomfortable. If there was anyone who could make her question her physical and emotional attributes it was Fitz. _What are we doing? This is not appropriate. _Mellie began to sit up, when Fitz held her down and whispered, "Relax. Just relax Mellie." She couldn't find it in her to stay calm, they were getting too close. Closer than they had been in years. Her mind and body were not ready for this side of Fitz. As terrible as it sounded she knew how to handle _I don't give a shit Fitz, _but this Fitz whatever this Fitz was, was challenging her.

Mellie looked in his eyes, and they weren't angry. His face was calm and the wrinkle between his eyebrows was finally at peace. Mellie was sure that although Fitz had spoken what was hurting him in an angry form of expression. At least he was communicating it out loud and not suffering in silence. "How are you?" she asked him softly.

"Much better than I have been in weeks," Fitz smiled and tucked a loose piece of Mellie's hair behind her ear. "How are you?"

Mellie sighed and let a small smirk escape from her lips, "Much worse than I have been in years." Fitz was not expecting that to escape from her lips so his breath stopped for a split second, and his eyebrows crunched in confusion. Mellie continued to explain, "I haven't thought about you in this way for years Fitz. I was finally okay, and now . . ." Mellie looked into his eyes and whispered, "Now I don't know what I'm feeling or thinking. Or if I'm being stupid and this isn't even what is happening between us right now."

"This isn't a figment of your imagination . . . I really need someone Mels. I need someone to be there for me." Fitz spoke softly as his fingers continued to caress her body, going lower and lower until they rested on her bottom. Without hesitation he squeezed it and Mellie quickly shifted upward before Fitz could grab her back down again.

"You _need _somebody. You _have _somebody Fitzgerald. You are _married _to Olivia. You have no lack of people who care about you. But we play very different roles. If you're looking for someone to put your penis in and whisper love songs, go find her in Georgia. But I am sure as hell not going to put another women through what I went through, no matter the circumstances. No matter what I want." Mellie was in a rage of confusion. Too much was happening in too little time. Her and Fitz in this atmosphere meant that anything could have happened, and just her luck, the worse thing did. Fitz was looking at her with needy eyes. But she didn't know if it was for love or lust. He was married, and no matter if she wanted to ride him like a pony, she was going to keep her legs shut. She wasn't going to be someone's mistress. She wasn't going to be Olivia Pope 2.0.

Anger got the best of Mellie, as it always does, and she yelled "God are you ever satisfied with the woman you are ACTUALLY married to?!" Fitz got up and stood right in front of her face.

"You walked away! You gave up on me, on us! You accepted Olivia Pope and you stopped fighting me, Mellie. You stopped." Mellie placed her hand over her heart at his words. _I stopped trying? I STOPPED TRYING?_

"You didn't love me anymore Fitz. It's a fucking heartbreak when you let someone think they have a chance, and they really don't. I tried for three years to get you back, three years." Mellie attempted to contain her rage as this man was standing with his arms crossed, looking as pompous as ever. "When you hear your husband whisper dirty things to a woman in the bathroom at 3 AM every night you would have given up too." Fitz's eyes lowered to Mellie's and he could sense her wounds opening up again. He heard it in her voice. It wasn't her low growl when she was angry, and it wasn't the sad voice she used for Jerry, it was numb. Completely emotionless because that's where he had left her. "And the last time I checked, you were in no rush to come back to me either."

"Yes I was! Somehow during your senate race Mellie, didn't you feel it? It was happening again. You and me, we were being US again. You let me touch you and hold you, and that hadn't happened in the longest time. You let me be there for you, and you didn't push me away!" Fitz's eyes were watery and Mellie couldn't help but begin to hyperventilate a little. "Olivia was home safe, and for a brief moment it was just me and you. For a brief moment I didn't even think if her, I thought of _you._ I thought of what I could do to help _you_, _my wife, my partner_. I thought of how you were feeling, and it was different but it felt good. And I tried-"

Mellie rose her hand to shut him up abruptly, "I understand Jerry. When you held me because I was deeply overwhelmed with his death and going back to Springfield, I understood. I let you hold me because he was _our _son. But Fitz for fucks sake you would be completely open about Olivia's calls, and her advice, and I knew by definition that there was no part in you that could love me the way you used to."

"We had sex." Fitz growled at her, suddenly grasping onto her arms and pulling her closer. "We had sex that one night in the Oval."

"We were drunk Fitz. You were fucking drunk."

"I wasn't that drunk Mellie. I knew what I was doing to you. I knew how I was touching you and making you moan." Fitz whispered getting closer and closer to her face. "And you loved it. Do you want me to describe to you how vividly I remember that night?"

Mellie became flustered at his words, "Fitz we both said that we needed to get fucked and that was it. Yes I did enjoy having sex on the presidential seal, checked that off my bucket list. But that's exactly what it was, _sex_. I had sex with Andrew in countless places in the White House, which I also checked off my bucket list. Just like I'm sure you've fucked Olivia Pope in unsuitable places in the White House as well."

"You said that! I never did! I tried to explain to you the next morning that I was going to keep Olivia at a respectable professional distance because you were becoming Mellie Ray again. But you threw us under the bus! You once again drove me back into Olivia's arms, because you were clear that anything between us would never be the same. That I was a one night stand. I didn't want to believe you, because I thought our relationship had changed for the better, but you made it crystal clear the next morning. So I went back to Olivia."

Mellie's heart crashed into a million pieces. How does she always seem to single handedly fuck things up? No matter if she thought that she was doing the right thing, no matter is Mellie thought that her decision was always for the better outcome, or the most powerful outcome, it was never untrue. But it was always the wrong decision. This proved her point. All she wanted was Fitz back. For years all she wanted was for him to come home and say he loved her. That he appreciated her. She wanted him to ask for her advice on different political controversies. Just like their 3 AM talks as a newly wedded couple. And now he was here in front of her, establishing that he did want her back at a certain point in time.

Was there no wormhole that she could go through to tell herself that morning to shut the fuck up and let the man speak? Or was there a wormhole at the time Olivia Pope asked her to come help Fitz? She would say hell no. No fucking way. You go help your own fucking husband Olivia Pope.

"We – I – You. You are mistaken." Mellie whispered, as her hands began to shake at her sides. "Whatever it is your saying to me now is because you're latching onto the only person who knows about Kennedy. The only person who knows your pain."

"You are the only one who takes the knives out of my back with force, and lets me bleed out all the anger and the pain. You always call my bluffs Mellie Ray. Every single one. You are not afraid like others." Fitz continued his sweet mantra as he held her face softly in his hands.

"Stop it, just stop it." Mellie swatted at his hands and backed away from him. Her heartbeat was unstable, and she felt that the ground would slip from underneath her feet. "I have to go. Right now. I have to leave." She rushed to her room as fast as she could and slammed the door, locking it just as it closed. Right when she heard the click of the lock, a hand banged on the door with an unimaginable level of force.

"Open this door! Mellie please!" Fitz croaked from the other side. Mellie sat on her bed and tried to cover his loud pleas by covering her ears. She didn't notice she was crying until the collar of her shirt began to stick to her skin. _Breathe. Breathe. _Her hands fell from her ears and the house was quiet. There was no more pounding on the wooden door. The knob wasn't shaking violently anymore. But she knew he was still out there. The figure of his shadow was shown on the crack between the floor and the door.

"Mellie," she heard him crying. "Mellie please don't block me out again."

Mellie continued to breathe, calming down her heart rate. She got up and opened the door swiftly, his face was torn apart. "What do you expect from this Fitz? For you to leave Olivia? For us to go run off into another country and suddenly everything will be right? No. I'm sorry. It's a great dream but it's not realistic."

"Oh fuck your reality. We can make anything happen."

"I don't believe you. I don't believe that you love me enough to leave Vermont. To leave Olivia. She is everything you have ever wanted. She is who you love." Mellie spoke softly and never once looked Fitz directly in the eye. Her focus was on her bare feet and the floor.

"I never planned to hurt you babe, I tried to work everything out. I tried to fix everything that was wrong with me and what I had done, but doubt always swallowed me up." Fitz whispered, "You and I know all too well that I fucked up. But if you, if you still love me, I would-"

"That's just it Fitz. I do love you. I am indebted to you. But when you lie once, you might as well lie a thousand times. And I refuse to have false hope in us. Because let's face it _baby_, no flame burns forever. You and I know this all too well."

Fitz hated that she wasn't looking at him as all of these accusations and confessions were being sprung on him. "Don't say they don't Mellie. Ours is still lit. Our relationship has never died, although it stopped being marital, it has lasted. This is going to be different Mellie Ray I promise. Say something like you believe in me, that you want to move away from this place. Open up your eyes. This is never going to go our way, if I'm going to have to guess what's on your mind."

"You don't fucking understand." Mellie started tensing up, "I want a flame with some one who is in love with ME. I want someone to wake up next to me and know that they are the luckiest man on Earth. I want someone who will not CHEAT on me. I want someone who knows that I am who I am, and ACCEPTS that. I want to finally be enough for someone. And I will never be enough for you Fitz." Mellie finally looked up at him, and her eyes were crimson. From anger, from sadness, from these revelations. "I will never satisfy you. We will just have this unending and tiresome loop, and I am sorry I will not cooperatively sign up for that. No matter what you believe you feel. So do me a favor and stop talking. Stop doing anything. Just call Olivia and say you're back to normal. And tell her to come back home." Mellie turned to walk away when he grabbed her and spinned her around to face him once more.

"Yes you will be enough, you will. Please believe me." Fitz grabbed her hands and made them cup his face.

"NO I WON'T! DO YOU WANT TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHY I KNOW I WON'T?" Mellie snapped and tried very hard not to smack Fitz. The image of him laying on the shower floor overdosed and not breathing began to re appear in her mind. "Because you tried to kill yourself! Because when Olivia left and Jerry died, I wasn't enough to help you through everything! Because a life without Olivia Pope made you want to kill yourself! And I – I have threatened to leave you and we have gone days without speaking and I –thank God – have never made you feel like without me you would cease to exist." Mellie watched as he shut his mouth, and looked stunned. Fitz put his face in his right hand, and Mellie could tell he was crying. "Dear Mellie, take care of Karen and Teddy." Mellie started once more, with an aggressive tone. Fitz face abruptly shot up.

"Shut up!"

"Tell them that I love them with my entire being. Tell them about Jerry and how smart, brave and wonderful of a son he was. I am sorry I am not strong enough to be a father anymore. I am sorry Mellie."

"SHUT UP!" Fitz took a step forward and Mellie didn't flinch.

"I have loved you. I am sorry." Mellie finished the end of Fitz's suicide note. It would forever be embedded in her brain. Every last word. "Rachel handed it to me, without any knowledge of what she had just done. Do you know how fast I ran from my office after I finished reading that letter? How crazy I reacted when I saw your body lifeless on the shower floor. You fucking asshole. You were going to leave us behind. I applaud you for not mentioning your whores name in my note though. Thank you for that speck of respect."

"Don't act above me Mellie. I know what you did." Fitz growled. "I know you tried to kill yourself in California. I guess Andrew was good for one thing."

Mellie gasped and Fitz realized what he had said. She wasn't supposed to ever know that he knew. That Olivia had told him one time by accident on their first year of marriage. Realizing that adding fire to this argument had only made it worse Fitz rubbed his temples.

"We have to stop doing this."

Mellie looked up at him and through watery eyes said, "This is _exactly_ why we can't be together."


	11. North Carolina Doesn't Feel Like Fitz, 1

_Hello fellow gladiators! How was the finale for you? Did you swoon at Fitz's speech about revelations and Mellie's worth to him? BUT THEN did you scream "No! No! NO!" at the television when he kicked her out of the White House? Yah, same. All I'm saying is that Fitz is flawed, and he's killed and he's been selfish before, so what a hypocrite. Also, Mellie didn't know who the hell Rowan was because Fitz doesn't tell her everything either! And she sure as hell didn't know about Remmington or what Rowan was going to do with that list. Also Olivia was about to sell Fitz's ass to the public because of his part in Remmington, Fit's doesn't know that either! So really I'm just all shades of angry. ANYWAYS. Mellie will prosper regardless . . . hopefully. _

_But I decided that I HAD to incorporate this into my story, obviously. So here you go. This will definitely play a part in what's happing in the present, but we have to see how it all went down first. Just to clarify, Fitz kicks her out before asking for a divorce in my story, because they still have to be married until his term is over._

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

North Carolina Doesn't Feel Like Fitz, Part I

As Mellie watched the White House helpers move her luggage from the presidential suite out into the lounge, she tried to remain as calm as her lungs would let her. _I did this for us. I did this for him. _Did she sound like a broken record? Twenty years of marriage must have made it so. It hurt, this time his words truly stabbed Mellie. She had been used and ignored and kicked to the ground. There was no innocence left between them. Whatever revelations Fitz preached about a couple of days ago were nowhere to be found.

The worse part about Mellie moving out was that she knew exactly who was moving in. She was sure he was on his way to her apartment, or she was in the Oval. What was next? A divorce? Surely. Who would take Teddy? What about Karen? Was he going to chop her head off and put it on a stake for all of America to see? For once Mellie didn't contemplate and she didn't care. She was going to let Fitz wander on his own now. There was no team. There was no partnership anymore. There was no more Fitz and Mellie.

As far as the White House Staff and the country was concerned, Mellie was living in her Virginia estate because she had just won Senator. It was what she wanted. But this was definitely not how it was supposed to go down. She didn't know who this Demascus man was. It was just as certain that she had no idea what he was going to do with that list. Cyrus was supposed to take care of it and he did, but he also lost his job. Mellie still hadn't put all the pieces together. Why them? Why kick them out? Yes Cyrus Beene had done some fucked up shit in the past but what do you expect in Washington DC.

Washington D.C. didn't feel like home and Mellie had the urge to return to her mother in North Carolina. Ashville may be far from the political capital of the United States but it was where Momma Cat swung on her bench, waiting for whatever the day was to bring.

Mellie watched as the last of her luggage was rolled away from her and she knew it was time. She began her decent to the Oval office. Fitz had avoided her for the past 24 hours but no one outside of the White House knew what was going on inside it. So the First Couple was supposed to show up on the south lawn of the White House, and Fitz of course was to kiss her and wave to her goodbye. Yes, it was a political tactic but Fitz also knew it was a way to show Olivia that Mellie wasn't in the residence.

Mellie found herself twisting the wedding bands on her left finger to the rhythm of her heels clacking on the floor. How she wished to rip them off and have a good cry. To throw them at Fitz and have him give a shit. Little bits of her wanted to plead him to listen to her. She imagined fighting for him again. Begging him to see things her way. Pray to God he hears her. Grabbing onto his shoulders in tears and preaching why she did what she did.

Fitz had seen many different sides of Mellie. Drunk Mellie, depressed Mellie, smelly Mellie, and chicken fried Mellie. But had he ever seen Distraught Mellie? Pleading Mellie? Crazy Mellie? No, those were pieces of herself that no one had seen.

Mellie continued to replay that conversation in her head over and over again. His voice rose and her voice quivered.

"_We are not a team. You don't even know what you did wrong. You don't even know why it was wrong."_

She remembered his deadpan voice, and daggering eyes with his arms crossed right in front of him. Looking at her like a disgrace, like a political monster.

"_Get out. Pack your bags and get out of my house!"_

"_Fitzgerald," _she remembered her voice shaking. _"Fitz."_

"_Before I throw you out."_

Her lip started quivering as the fear of losing him forever dawned on her. A life without Fitzgerald was not something she ever imagined. Even when he was cheating on her with Olivia, as fucked up as it sounded, he still came back home. Mellie could fuss all she wanted to his face to herself to others, about how much she loathed Fitzgerald Grant, but he was still around, within arms reach.

But this was the end. Once his term is over it is goodbye Melody Rayna Grant, and hello Olivia Marie Grant.

She would be, Melody Rayna Johnson again.

Mellie Ray.

His sweet voice whispering her nickname in her ear echoed through her mind, and she stopped walking for a moment. _Just do it Mellie. Just be crazy. Just fight for him like you never had before. Step out of who you have adapted to be in this murderous town. Be Mellie Ray. Be Mellie fucking Ray. _

She walked up to the door of the Oval Office and opened it with confidence and butterflies in her heart. Fitz was talking to the head of Secret Service, Joe. Just as he caught Mellie's eye he said looking directly at her, "Let's have the secret service ready to leave by ten o'clock tonight alright Joe? I've already waited long enough."

Mellie closed her mouth, and her stomach dropped along with her eyes. _Don't wait on me honey, I'll be out of here soon enough. _Holding onto the doorknob for support, she felt Joe walk past her and then saw Fitz feet parallel to her own.

"Let's get this over with," he growled grabbing her hand roughly and practically dragging her out of the White House. Mellie saw blurs pass by, not even bothering to fake smile her way down the corridors. The walls were spinning and Fitz kept pulling her harder and harder. Until her feet stopped moving and she pulled her hand from his grasp. He turned in a timely fashion with a quizzical look on his face.

"Where's Teddy?" she whispered. Fitz approached her in three long strides.

"Already in the jet with nanny Jen, let's go Mellie I don't have time for this."

"So you can see Olivia?" Mellie said with an emotionless voice and blank stare. Fitz sighed looking around to check if anyone heard, and then grabbed his wife's hand once more. The secret service opened the door to the south lawn, and she saw their private plane waiting. With a deep breath, Mellie plastered a smile on her face and began waving at the paparazzi as she and Fitz walked in a royal manner towards the flight of stairs. They finally stopped their steps and stood feet from the plane.

Mellie turned to face Fitz, and a cute paparazzi friendly smile was all he wore. He leaned in to peck her cheek and with one last wave to the paparazzi began his decent back to the White House.

_Be Mellie Ray. Be Mellie Ray._

Knowing very well that he would not deny her in front of the photographers, Mellie jogged to grab his hand and spin him around. Fitz looked at her with a mix of anger and bewilderment in his eyes, because he was powerless in front of national television. What was she doing?

Mellie grabbed his face in her hands and felt the world stop as she stared into his eyes. With a soft voice she said, "I love you Fitzgerald Grant." She dared not to look at the cameras or at his reaction when she leaned in to kiss his lips, and for a moment she felt him kiss her back. Within seconds she pulled away and blushed for the paparazzi then walked back to the plane. Knowing very well that no matter what Fitz was thinking or feeling he was now watching her go.

Once a board the plane her eyes caught glimpse of Teddy and she needed his comfort. Grabbing him from nanny Jen, she sat down and held him in her arms. Teddy sucked on his thumb as he played with her hair. As Teddy calmed down all the rush of emotions that were running through her body, Mellie reached for her phone sitting on the table in front of them.

The dial tone rang and finally someone with a southern accent answered the phone "Well hello honey bee. You already calling me from that fancy plane of yours?"

"How did you know momma?" Mellie instantly felt like crying hearing the sound of her mothers voice on the other end of the line.

"I own a television my dear, and having your daughter as the First Lady- oh sorry Junior Senator of Virginia means that she is often on that television."

"Oh mom . . ." Mellie croaked.

"What is it honey bee?"

Mellie looked around at the people on the plane. Nanny Jen, two secret service agents, and Teddy. "Where did I go wrong mom?" she whispered.

"Melody my Melody what is going on?"

"Fitz kicked me out of the White House."

Silence trickled from North Carolina and then she heard her mom mutter, "The nerve of that man."

"Well . . . the nerve of us all mom."

"You come home right now Mellie. You come back to sweet Carolina for only a while, and then you can go on with your life. But you come back home Melody."

Mellie smiled at her mom's words, and watched baby Teddy fall asleep in her arms. What's a minor detour? As she ended the conversation with her mother, she handed Teddy over to nanny Jen. She brushed the wrinkles out of her dress and knocked on the pilots' door. The co-pilot opened the cockpit for her and she smiled sweetly at them.

"Guys we're making a stop in Ashville, North Carolina. So talk to whomever you need to talk to, but we're landing in North Carolina. Okay?" Mellie looked at the co-pilots confused face, but walked out as soon as he nodded an "okay".

Fitz turned to the television just as he was about to leave to Olivia's apartment. His face turned to shock as he saw the news headline, _First Lady lands in North Carolina to celebrate with her mother on Senate win_. He switched the channel and another one stated _President Grant not on board with Mellie's family celebration. _He switched the channel one last time and cringed at the latest headline _Fitz Grant too big to be seen in Ashville?_

Fitz threw the remote at the wall and heard it shatter into broken pieces. "You devious political princess! God damn it!" But for once Mellie didn't do this for political power. She did this for herself.

* * *

_Writing Part II already. -O.M._


	12. North Carolina Doesn't Feel Like Fitz, 2

_I know, I know this was a very long wait time, I just couldn't put my thoughts into words. I dearly apologize. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

North Carolina Doesn't Feel Like Home, Part II

As soon as Mellie felt the plane hit the landing strip she let out a lengthy breath. She looked out the window and was immediately faced with the satisfaction of the woodlands and the greenery. Her mother had traveled forty-five minutes to the airport to pick up her baby girl personally. Teddy was still fast asleep in Nanny Jen's arms, so slowly Jen handed Teddy to his mother and began grabbing the extra bags on the plane. Teddy barely opened his eyes as he was being shuffled and then rested his head on Mellie's shoulder. As the secret service motioned for them to begin their decent onto the ground Mellie felt a gulp in her throat. She could leave Virginia and Washington D.C. for as long as she wanted, but the problems would still be there when she got back.

The warmth of the sun graced her body and she couldn't help but smile. Then she was rudely yelled at by paparazzi a hundred feet away. _Well the White House will have a ball with this. _Mellie smiled politely but made haste to her mother, who was allowed to park her Land Rover only a couple of yards away from the plane.

Her mom wore the same sunglasses as Mellie remembered for the past ten years; her hair was shoulder length, and white as snow. As always Catherine was wearing red lipstick and small gold hoop earrings. Upon seeing Mellie she embraced her child with open arms, making Teddy the ham in their sandwich. Catherine kissed her daughter's temple and then took a good look at Teddy.

"Teddy Teddy bo Beddy! Banana fanna fo Feddy! Fe fi mo Meddy! TEDDY!" she started singing to the child with droopy eyelids due to being woken up from his nap.

Mellie cracked up, "Oh God I haven't heard that in a while."

"Come on get in the car Mellie . . . Mellie Mellie bo Bellie! Banana fanna fo Fellie! Fe fi mo Mellie! MELLIE!" Catherine sang to her only daughter and opened the back seat, which already had a car seat for Teddy. Making sure he was safe and buckled in, Mellie made her way around to the passenger seat and sat down with a small smile. _Oh Sweet Carolina._

As Mellie and her mother walked into the house she hadn't stepped foot in for over five years, she couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia creep up on her. This was a completely different universe than her home in California and The White House. The atmosphere was much more relaxed, and Mellie fought the urge to kick of her heels and un-snap her bra right then and there on the foyer.

She picked up Teddy and walked up the stairs to her old room. It was nine o'clock at night and all she wanted to do was sleep her life away. Mellie heard the doorbell ring and her mothers ever so country tone letting secret service and Nanny Jen in with some of her suitcases. Not all of them because she wasn't going to be staying in North Carolina for more than a couple of days.

She showed Nanny Jen to the guest room, and handed over Teddy to be put to sleep. With a kiss to his two cheeks, Mellie smiled and walked out of the guest room to the kitchen. She took her phone out from her back pocket and placed it in front of her on the counter top. Her mother waltz in and smiled slyly at Mellie who was twiddling her thumbs looking at the oven clock and her phone on the island.

"Are you waiting on somebody Melody?" Cat asked from the inside of the fridge.

Mellie blushed because although Fitzgerald was probably pounding into Olivia Pope at the moment, she was hoping that he would pick up the phone and call her. Regardless if it was in anger or resentment, she wanted to rise some type of emotion in him. "I- um no Ma, I'm not. Just tired is all."

"Well good because I bought something that will cheer you up!" Catherine quirked and turned around with a huge smile on her face and placed down a package of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough, with a heart design. "We used to buy these all the time, and you would eat all twenty-four of them in the matter of four days. So how about we just relax and bake? You used to love baking!"

Mellie had to hand it to her mother, she was trying, and Mellie did love these cookies very much. She had made some with Karen when they were back in California, and Karen loved them just as much. "I suppose I'm going to eat my feelings anyway."

Her mother's eyebrow quirked up, "No you're not. This is it. You get tonight and tomorrow to wallow and then you put it behind you and show Fitzgerald that my Melody does not go out on his terms."

"There you are, I was afraid I'd lost you for a bit." Mellie smiled at her mother, and then grabbed the package to begin baking the cookies. Her mother pursed her lips at the comment, but realized it was a compliment and laughed light heartedly.

Just as her mother and she finished putting the first batch of cookies in the oven, Catherine leaned on the counter opposite of her and said, "Well I'm going to have to ask sooner or later Mellie, what happened?"

Mellie sighed and ran her hand through her hair, feeling her cold wedding ring glide against her forehead, and then she closed her eyes collecting herself. "We were finally on the same page. I accepted Olivia, I accepted he was never going to love me, I stopped trying to make him choose me." The whole time Mellie was explaining, she continued to shut her eyes, for fear of her mothers' reaction. "So we became partners, like we always were. Friends like we were many moons ago. But some man approached me during the senate race and he had files momma . . . he had files of Andrew and I, Olivia and Fitz, and some missions that dealt with Fitz, that I still do not know much about but I know that they are important and I'm pretty sure if they were published they would not be justified. He needed a list, so I gave it to him, but I – I had no idea –" Mellie began to choke up on her words. Her eyes finally opened and her mother was listening intently, no expressions of judgment what so ever on her face. Catherine had her own reign over North Carolina politically and socially once upon a time, and she had insight on what happened in DC, so she wished she didn't understand what it took to be successful in the business but she did. After years of being a shark, she decided it was time to retire to her grand estate and just live, without fear of being exposed or without having to deal with hungry politicians looking for power.

Mellie continued, "The man had every person on that list murdered. And I – I have done many unspeakable things mom. But I didn't _mean _to do this! I just I wanted to save our image, to save us! If any of those files had been publicized we both would have been done. And I mean jail time mom, not just our relationship or political capital I mean Fitz would have been tried in court and I – I just saw everything unfolding before me, that I had to give this man this list."

"Oh Mellie."

"He found out the night I won my Senate race, hence yesterday, and kicked me out for what I had done. Cyrus helped me get rid of this man as soon as I mentioned Fitz's mission, and I don't comprehend what else happened with Cyrus but Fitz fired him as well. I just – I don't understand. I saved us, and now I'm being punished for it. He has done many unthinkable things too, and I have never held it against him, ever."

Just as Mellie felt her lungs start to close up, and water beginning to form around her eyes. She heard her mom's sharp voice.

"Don't you dare cry Melody. I am your mother and I know I should be petrified at what you just told me, but America isn't pretty behind the scenes. You did what had to be done, and if you are telling me the truth, that you had absolutely no idea what this man was going to do, then you need breathe. I think you don't understand what's happening right now because you don't know a lot of what's happened with Fitz and what he's had to deal with before this. Men like the one who approached you don't just appear out of thin air Mellie. Especially if Cyrus stepped in, this man must have known them before."

Just as Mellie began to think of everything Fitz could be hiding from her the oven beeped and the cookies were ready. The rest of the night, after their talk, was shifted towards her mothers' life because Mellie was tired of thinking about her own situation. It was closing in on midnight and there was a knock on the front door. Mellie's eyes looked up at Catherine, but she was already waltzing her way from the couch in the living room to the front door.

_Who could possibly be here at this ungodly hour? Does mom have some kind of booty call or something?_

Mellie heard the voice from the guest and she froze. _No, no, no I have to leave. _She grabbed her phone from the table and just as she was walking out of the living room a tall man she hadn't talked to since she got married was standing right in front of her. It was like time had stood still, and the universe had stopped to focus on them for just a moment.

"Well I should let you two get to introductions . . . it's been a while hasn't it?" Catherine smiled coyly and Mellie gave her the death stare of the century. As her mother walked up the stairs, Mellie and Percy stood still for what seemed like many minutes.

Finally Mellie turned around and sat back down on the couch, running her hands through her loose waves, something she started doing since she stopped drinking. Some people bite their lip or their nails; Mellie consistently ran her hands through her hair when she was exhausted, exasperated, or frustrated. Percy stood with his hands in his suit pockets and stared directly at her.

"What are you doing in North Carolina?" Mellie asked twisting her wedding ring around her finger.

"Why do you let him do it Mellie?" Percy asked straight forward.

Mellie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Is that why my mom called you? To help me feel loved after my husband kicked me out of the White House? I'm sure she told you that too didn't she? God can't anybody keep their mouth shut and mind their own business for once."

Percy walked to Mellie and sat down next to her, "No she didn't, I came on my own because honestly something had to be seriously fucked up for you to come back home."

"Percy we haven't talked in years. And by years I mean TWENTY years. Are you stalking me or something? How would you know when something went wrong, we don't even keep in contact? You – I – I called you and you hung up on me. You didn't come to my wedding. You didn't come see me when Jerry was born, or Karen, or Teddy! And I made sure Rachel sent you invites! I made sure you knew no matter where I was you would always feel welcomed." Mellie couldn't help but go out on a rampage of twenty-year-old emotions that had been bottled up. Her current situation only made it easier for her to lash out on somebody, and she hated admitting it but if there were anybody who would take her heat and not serve it back to her, it would be Percy.

"DC isn't exactly my cup of tea, and what was I going to do? Show up after a hiatus to your husband who by the way let's not forget hates me. So Mellie no I did not visit because I couldn't stand to see you being held back by that man. And after his confessions of cheating on you, why would you even stick around!?"

"You need to leave. Just get out!" Mellie growled at him.

"No, I'm not walking away this time. You are lost Mellie and you came home because you're lost and you don't know what to do! You don't deserve this."

"So what, are you here to finally be my hero? To finally beat Fitz? Do I deserve you now? Are you here to whisk me away and fuck me until I cry to you and fall in love with you and leave him? That's what you've been waiting for this whole time no? To take me away from Fitz, to comfort me and make love to me like you've always wanted to." Mellie snapped at him and as the words stopped flowing from her mouth, she realized that she had gone too far. Calling out the love Percy had for her, and sexually objectifying it was wrong.

Percy's eyes glazed over and she saw the hurt in them, "The fact that you even think the only way someone wants to repair you is by fucking you, truly shows just how damaged you are. And I feel sorry for you."

"Percy I'm-"

"Look I know that you know how I feel about you, how I have always felt about you. But you don't take that and shove it back in my face with such cut throat intentions just like you did. Yes Mellie, I have been waiting. I would be lying if I said I haven't been wishing you near me for years. But it has to be your choice and every time you'll choose him. I don't know why, after everything he's done, and I only know things that I'm sure barely scratch the surface of the skeletons in your closet."

"I don't know either Percy. I'm just tired of talking about how damaged I am, how terrible I am for not walking out a long time ago. I am so lucky to have someone like you, but I messed up. You deserve better, not me. You don't even know the things I have done. And I hope you never do-"

"I don't care Ray, I don't care just let me be here for you."

"It's too soon. I'm still married and I- I can't do that to him."

"God stop thinking about him for two seconds, and think about what you want. Think about what's best for you Ray."

"I want him Percy. I will never have him after this, but I want him. I want our life back. Okay I admit it! I am not some cold woman who can put up a barrier to control her emotions. I love him, and he doesn't love me back. He will never love me back, but he is what I want."

Percy stayed silent for a moment and chuckled lightly, "Well at least you'll know how it feels now."

Mellie laid her head on his shoulder and felt her eyes get heavy. Percy placed his arm around her and held her tight, knowing very well that the woman in his arms would forever be unattainable. It had been twenty years, and all he had to live on was the four years in school. The only memories he truly kept of Mellie happened so long ago, and although many things had brought them a apart, his heart would always be owned by her. And that was something he was okay with. How could he judge her, when he's been waiting on a woman for twenty years? He couldn't.

So he let her rest on him, and he could pretend for a moment that she was his. His eyes began to close, and he fought the urge of falling asleep until he couldn't anymore.

Mellie fell asleep way before Percy, but their morning wasn't as calm as she wanted.

"What the hell is this?!" a deep an angry voice howled into the silent house. Mellie jumped from her current situation, and as she pushed off of Percy she accidently drove her hand into his groin, and he howled in pain. She was caught between looking at Percy closing his eyes tight and Fitz staring at her with eyes wide-open and pulsing veins.

"You need frozen peas," Mellie shook her head and pointed lazily at Percy. With a run through her hair and refusal to look Fitz in the eye, she walked out of the room as quickly as her feet would let her. As she whisked by Fitz, she knew he was only a few feet behind her.

"What the FUCK is he doing here?!" he growled violently, and pointing back at Percy in the other room. Mellie couldn't deal with him right now, so she kept her mouth shut as she opened the freezer. "Mellie, I'm talking to you!"

"You better watch the way you speak to my daughter in my house Fitzgerald Grant. Before I throw your ass out on the porch and watch the media tear you a part as I tell reporters any little terrible thing they are fishing for," Catherine's snide voice came from the doorway. Fitz mouth turned into a straight line, and he didn't have to turn back to know that Catherine had her arms crossed in front of her just like Mellie did when she was defending herself. His eyes searched Mellie's for help but she stared off into the distance behind him. No matter if he was the President of the United States he still was not fully equipped to handle the monster in law, oh mother in law.

Catherine walked over to Mellie, grazing Fitz's side coldly and on purpose, until she grabbed the frozen peas from her hand. Then as she turned around to finally face Fitz she rose her eyebrow and with a glimmer in her eye she smirked, "I hear you yell even one word at my daughter, and you'll be sorry. The dirt I have on you son, I wouldn't even dare speak higher than a whisper."

With that statement she left the two of them alone in the kitchen. Mellie's fingers ticked against each other and she fought the urge not to run her hands through her hair over and over again.

Fitz sighed "We need to talk," then as he looked down the hallway that led straight to the living room where Percy still laid he added, "upstairs." Mellie shut the freezer and made her way up the stairwell with swaying hips, Fitz hot on her trail. Finally she reached the top and opened the door to her old room. The bed was untouched and Fitz surprisingly let his shoulders unwind a bit after that. He remembered this room, the first summer they were together and back from college he spent weeks here. Of course he "stayed" in the guest room but they always found ways to sneak around.

"At least that Bruce Springsteen poster is finally down." Fitz said putting his weight on one foot, and placing his hands in his pocket. He watched Mellie sit down on the edge of the bed, one leg crossed over the other, and a continued stare with pursed lips. "What is Percy doing here?" he tried to ask as calmly as possible.

"Not that it's any of your business but he came by after he saw me get on a plane and come back home."

"Fat chance."

"I haven't spoken to him since we got married," Mellie said emotionless, "he's been waiting all this time for you to finally _screw me over for good._" Mellie emphasized the last words with gritting teeth.

"You still don't get it? You still haven't figured out what you did wrong?" Fitz asked exasperated. "God, do you notice when people around you are getting hurt or do you just wave it off because it's not you?"

"Save me the _Mellie only cares for herself _speech Fitz," she rolled her eyes and fought the urge not to throw herself back on the bed and just shut him out.

"We were partners and you didn't tell me. You didn't tell me about this man! You didn't think for a second that the most powerful man on the planet, your husband, could have helped you? I could have found a way around this Mellie, but you didn't open up, you weren't honest."

Mellie stared at his glare, and the feeling from the night he kicked her out was rising in her stomach and rushing through her arms until it stung at her fingertips. She clenched her fists trying to tell the adrenaline to go away. "I didn't know I could. I didn't think to go to you because for the past five years I have been alone in everything I do. I have been against you eighty-five percent of the time we have lived in that God forsaken house and because of everything we have been through I forgot that I could go to my _husband_ when I needed help, because my _husband_ was always caught up in other affairs. I forgot I could go to my _husband _for advice because he stopped seeking mine a long time ago. I guess I forgot what it felt like to have a partner who cared."

Fitz's face morphed from anger to a somber expression. He expected a lot of answers but not the truth. Mellie was always good at saying the next best thing other than what she was actually feeling, or she would find a way to turn the subject around and attack whoever crossed her. But as he watched her play with her wedding ring and tell him nothing but the honest thoughts that flowed freely from her brain to her mouth, he had no idea how to respond. Then the thought of her saying she loved him back in DC popped into his brain, and he knew that Mellie was done playing games with their relationship. She was done trying to act like the barrier between her husband and his mistress.

Suddenly she spoke up again, "When I get back, we're getting a new bed. Because I am going back _honey_, you can't divorce me. Not now, not just after I won my senate race. I will deal with Olivia Pope, and I will not interfere with whatever endeavors you decide to participate in. But you do not get to ruin my life. Especially not after I gave you yours."

"God I knew you couldn't let me in, even for a brief second," Fitz laughed throwing his head back and running a hand over his face. Mellie watched as he smiled snidely at her "If you were to just shut up with the defense mechanisms, and tell me what you are feeling and not be ashamed of it, we wouldn't be in this position. But every time you say you love me, you give me a million reasons why you don't."

Mellie stared at Fitz with a gawked look, "I didn't mean for it to end up this way Fitz. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you when this man approached me, okay?"

Fitz nodded curtly but stayed silent, and Mellie observed him. "I love Olivia, and I am going to be with Olivia by the time my second term is over. But you should have the chance to get what you want to. Just like we said on the balcony. So I am here to celebrate with you, your mom, and Teddy and then I will see you back at the White House in a week."

"I will order the new bed the moment I land in Virginia."

Fitz couldn't help but smile at their odd humor.

Mellie got up and quietly said, "I should go check on Percy and make sure he's alright. Then I will see if I can send him on his way."

Fitz watched her leave the room and he didn't know why his blood boiled a little. He couldn't tell Mellie she can't have anyone while he has Olivia. But it stung to watch her leave him for another man downstairs, whether it be romantic or not, it had always been the other way around.


	13. Kyle King

_Don't hate me after this chapter. I promise I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up my friend. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

Kyle King

Mellie turned around from her stance next to Fitz. Her head was caving in, and she felt the world spinning. What in the world were they doing even bickering over the unforgivable.

"Ask me why I wanted to kill myself." Mellie whispered as she continued to look at the other wall of her guest room. Fitz stepped forward and breathed in the scent of her shampoo and body moisturizer.

"Why?" he said softly into the silence.

"I was weak. My body, my soul, my everything was weak. But I am much different now, because of you I have grown in the most negative . . . and the most positive ways. But time has changed Fitz, and I don't need you anymore. I am Melody Rayna Johnson, Senator of Virginia, and one day I will be President of the United States and you can go be Fitzgerald Pope. Jam Maker of Vermont for all I care. You made your choice, over and over again, and it has never changed so I'll make it for you just one more time."

"That's good, do you practice that in front of the mirror everyday?" Fitz joked and it caused Mellie to turn wild at him with the urge to slap the smug smirk he had off.

"You don't deserve me!" she practically yelled at him. "Not anymore."

Suddenly the tension was broken by Mellie's phone going off. She grabbed it from her back pocket, and looked at the Caller ID, her fingers quickly clicked the volume controls so it would be silent but not end the call. As if the roles had switched Fitz crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her "Answer your phone." She continued to look at him blankly and then his long arm reached for the phone, she pulled her hand back rapidly and away from him. Just when the call ended, she let out a sigh of relief. Then it started again. Fitz stepped forward once more, this time holding Mellie's arm with force and snatching the iPhone from her hand.

Mellie watched as his eyes grew wide and surprised, and then he smiled widely, mocking her. "I should have known," he switched the phone to answer, and handed it back to Mellie. Not moving his place in front of her.

She stayed still and then slowly raised the phone to her ear keeping eye contact with Fitz. "Hey babe."

Fitz watched with a clenched jaw, "No it's taking a little longer than I thought. You know how these conferences go." Mellie continued to talk to the person on the other end of the line, and Fitz came closer to her. He rested his hand on her hip and she motioned for him to stop while trying to speak nonchalantly into the phone, "I miss you too," she murmured while swatting him away. "I'll be back in two days tops." Finally she held the phone to her chest and slapped Fitz in the face. He backed away a couple of steps, and Mellie was beyond furious. "Honey I have to go they're calling me, okay, talk to you later."

Fitz held his face, and Mellie continued to stare at him with crazy eyes. "What did you expect?"

"Who is he?" Fitz asked her forcefully.

"That is not any of you-"

"WHO IS HE MELLIE?!" he yelled into the silent house.

Mellie contemplated if she should tell Fitz who her lover was. It was nice seeing him get all riled up about it, but if she didn't tell him, he would hire somebody to figure it out anyway. "His name is Kyle King and he's an FBI Agent in Washington DC."

Fitz looked at her for more, because that was the bare minimum of information. Mellie cocked her eyebrow up and laughed at him, "What? Do you want to hear the story about how we met or what? Fitz that's highly inappropriate and I do not have to share that with you."

"Has he met the kids? What about Teddy?"

"Yes, Karen and Teddy have met him."

"That's irresponsible Mellie. What if Teddy get's used to having this man around and then you guys don't last. You can't just bring every man you date into the family, it's not healthy for the kids."

_Are you fucking kidding me? It's irresponsible for me to bring my boyfriend of over six months into my home? But it wasn't irresponsible of him to expose our children to his mistress Olivia Pope five years ago? _Mellie couldn't believe the audacity her ex-husband had. She finally met someone that was completely different and perfect for her all that same time. "Do you want to know what I told him the night we had sex? Hmmm." Mellie asked with her chin raised up, and her blue eyes shone with fervor.

Fitz crossed his arms in front of him and was a little taken a back at her openness. "No Mellie that's just-"

"I told him that I don't know if I've ever been good enough. That I was a little bit rusty at the whole being in love with someone thing and I don't know if I've ever been really loved by a hand that's touched me." Mellie stated and she remembered Kyle's dark brown eyes above her, looking at her like she was the most beautiful person in the planet. She felt so exposed that in that moment she had to tell him exactly what she was feeling. It was all new to her, being completely open about everything, without fear of being rejected or turned away.

"When I yelled at you about wanting a man who loves me for who I am. Who wants to be happy with me, who turns and looks at me with this emotion in his eyes that tells me he thinks I am the best thing on this Earth. That is what Kyle does everyday I am with him. I deserve that much."

Fitz had enough hearing about this mystery magical man. He couldn't stand to see Mellie _in love_ with another man. He could barely handle her having sex with another man. "Are we done?" Fitz stepped back and looked at her with angry eyes. "I should call Olivia."

Mellie's breath caught for a second and she wished he would take back that sentence. It pained her heart a little, but she was the one fighting him. She just raved about Kyle to him and how much she loved him, but Fitz had this way with making her forget the world around them. As if it were just them two. But this wasn't New Haven 1991 anymore so she pouted her lips, straightened her stature and said, "Yes, you should."

With that he walked out into the hallway not turning back. Mellie sighed and walked after him. They couldn't end this visit like this. Not with him ignoring her, they still had two children together. They needed to be civil at least for them. As she turned the corner she found him leaning against the columns of the hallway. His arms were crossed in front of him, and he smirked at her slowly.

"Don't think. Tell me why you went after me."

"Because we have two children and we're going to have to see each other ever so often, even if you don't like it. . ." Mellie said her answer with confidence and then she looked into his broken eyes. Was that the truth? _Well you have nothing to lose. After this nothing will ever be the same. _ She sighed and continued, "I hate watching you leave me. I like to be the one walking away from you and that's exactly what I was doing until you walked away from me. Let me leave you. For once. Let me _break_ _you," _Mellie croaked.

"You can't break someone who is already broken Mellie."

"Oh for fuck's sake I can't handle this round about we've been going on for the past day anymore. We're going to babble about how damaged we are, how we damaged each other, how we affected each other, and we're opening all these old wounds. For what? You are still married to Olivia Pope, and I am seeing Kyle. So let's just quit it, and I will go home. We will forget this ever happened, and I will go home."

"Is that what you want?" Fitz asked standing up straight, looming over her. "Do you want to go home?"

"Fitz, do you love Olivia Pope?" Mellie asked him, pushing his chest with her right hand. She felt the ridges underneath her fingertips, and the image of him naked coming out of the bathroom yesterday appeared in her mind. He looked at her with his signature frown and crumpled forehead, like a distressed puppy.

"I don't know."

Mellie smile sadly at him, and turned her back so she could make her way inside her guest room once again. "Don't come after me, please. Let me do this, on my terms."

With that she walked silently back into her guest room and felt the ache in her heart she hadn't felt for years. It was never right. The timing for them, it was never right. No matter how many times God gave them a brief take it or break it moment, they never walked into the line of fire. Mellie decided that she should start packing as soon as possible but she couldn't find the will to move. Why did it feel like they were divorcing for the third time? They were walking away again, and she couldn't help but let it affect her state of being. Slowly she found her momentum and began packing her things into her two suitcases. It was barely going to be lunch time and she didn't know if she should leave as soon as possible. The more she thought about leaving she realized that she had to arrange her flight first, and if her pilot was currently occupied she was shit out of luck.

Mellie grabbed her phone and texted Elizabeth to arrange the earliest flight for her to go back to Virginia. A moment later she received her reply, _"Sorry Mellie, earliest Bill can fly is 9 PM. Show some solidarity sister."_

"_HA HA very funny." _

"_Kyle called office two times to ask when you get back, should I tell him? I don't think he wanted to bother you or seem clingy lol._"

"_I'll text him myself, no worries."_

Mellie started a new message to Kyle, _"I know your secrets. Stop worrying. I'll be home tonight. Xoxo."_

For a brief moment she smiled at her boyfriend. She saw him typing immediately and smirked.

"_So what you're saying is we're firing your Chief of Staff, correct?"_

"_You wish. You are coming this weekend right?"_

"_Actually I'll be at the landing strip in Virginia tonight. G2g, you have me texting during an interrogation. I'm supposed to be intimidating woman."_

Mellie sent an emoji heart and for a split second she wasn't in Vermont. She wasn't fighting Fitz. She was at peace, and it made her hear a little happy. Knowing that there was no stress with Kyle. That she was always enough for him. Mellie reached under the bed frame looking for her black flats from the other day, and felt the glass from Fitz's collection of wine bottles. She grabbed all three in her arms, and began the trail to find Fitz. She heard movement coming from his bedroom and she approached it slowly.

The shower was on and she sighed knowing full well that it was in her best interest to leave the room. But a voice spoke from behind her, "I just turned it on to get the warm water going. No need to be getting tense on me."

As she turned to face Fitz his eyes wandered to the three fragile wine bottles in her hands. He reached for one, and felt it in his hands. She saw him touching the label with their names on it softly. Then before Mellie had enough time to react he launched his hand forward, and she heard the crash of their wedding bottle, before the spilt wine and shattered glass on the floor.

Fitz lunged for another wine bottle and Mellie tried her hardest to keep them against her chest but he shoved her abdomen back as he pulled on the neck of the bottle. Mellie fell backwards onto the bed and watched him yell as he threw their engagement bottle at the window. Although she saw it coming it didn't stop her from cringing at the loud smash.

Then his eyes were wild, and he was coming after the last wine bottle. She held the last memory of the _Life and Death Brigade _in her arms with as much muscle as she could muster.

Mellie scooted her body backwards until her spine hit the headboard. Fitz climbed on top of the bed and crawled at her, and then something stopped him. Mellie realized it was the sound of her yelling, "Noooooooo!" Her fingers were white from clutching the bottle so hard. "You will not destroy our innocence! You can wreck our marriage, but you will not take college _us_ away from me! In between being young and being right you were my Versailles at night."

Fitz stopped suddenly and Mellie was relieved. For a couple of seconds they both let their breaths settle, and it dawned on Fitz that he just erased what was left of the twenty some year marriage. Mellie continued to cradle the wine bottle as if it were another child and realized that Fitz was a foot from looming over her on the mattress he shared with Olivia Pope. A vindictive part of her sparked and she wanted so badly to give in to him, just to get back at her after all these years. But it takes two people to cheat and no one takes somebody from you if they don't want to leave.

But the way he kept on looking at her, the way he had been looking at her for the passed days, it was beginning to make things even more complicated. She hated that she had to insist on whatever was going on to come to a stop. She hated lying about Fitz to Kyle and she hated forgetting to mention Kyle to Fitz. Where was her allegiance anyhow? To herself perhaps.

Fitz began to crawl up towards her slowly this time. Mellie didn't stop him from grabbing her the back of her thighs and pulling her down, near his body in the middle of the bed. She let the bottle roll of her hands and slide down the mattress. The loud thump signaled that it hit the floor but didn't break unlike all the other bottles. Mellie felt Fitz's bare hands on her skin, and trembled at his light touch.

Her satin shirt had rolled up and Fitz could see her abdomen. He lowered his face until it was centimeters from her stomach, and painfully slow he planted a soft kiss on her left side. Mellie fought hard not to tremble beneath him, but she couldn't help the chills on her body. Fitz began a trail of soft kisses on her stomach, and rubbed up and down her thigh.

"Fitz," Mellie started, but then he sat up and took of his shirt. At his age Mellie still didn't know how this man was still in Greek goddess shape. She lifted her hand and traced out the edges of his abs.

Mellie looked at her ex-husband and she was so tired, so tired of everything. Whether she was making the right decision for herself, for him, for publicity, for them, she was so fucking tired of thinking ahead. "Oh screw it," she whispered and then her hands found the back of Fitz head and dragged him down to her. Their lips meet forcefully, and she could feel the need in both of their lips. Fitz moaned at the first kiss they've had in five years. The first _real_ kiss. Not a peck on the lips for paparazzi. He had forgotten just how good they were sexually, and images of their previous sexual encounters pre-White House got him excited.

_I'm not going to make love to him. He doesn't deserve that from me._ _We are just going to fuck. _Mellie felt Fitz's erection through his pajama pants and she reached for the elastic band around his waist and pulled them down. Mellie found out that there were no boxers underneath the cotton pants. Then she felt his hands on her pulling and pushing her clothes off one by one until she was left bare underneath him.

Fitz looked at Mellie and it was much different than many times he had stopped to admire her during sex. Her hair was wavy and all over the pillows in a tangled mess. Her eyes looked into his, and Fitz didn't feel sorry for cheating on Olivia. Unlike, how he felt sorry most of his marriage for ruining Mellie.

Fitz bent his head down and kissed the top of her breasts gently. Mellie couldn't handle him being loving so she reached for his penis and began to stroke him at an unimaginable pace. His breath caught and he groaned into the crease between her shoulder and neck. Wanting to be the one in control Mellie pushed him, until they flipped over and she was staring down at his dazed look. She felt his hands on her hips, and the image of Kyle came into her mind and she pushed it away.

With a sly smile she lowered herself down until her lips were mere inched from his abdomen. She left soft kisses around his belly button and made a trail down to his large erection. "Mellie Ray . . ." she heard him whisper, but then he gasped as she took him into his mouth. Mellie increased her pace around him until Fitz had to pull her head back with a fistful of her hair. "You're going to make cum, with out every being in you. I don't think so."

With that he threw her on her back, and Mellie couldn't help but giggle at his playful smirk. _I am not supposed to be enjoying this, as much as I am. God. Just one time, just one. _Then his body was covering hers completely and with a kiss to her lips, she felt him enter her. Mellie's eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she heard Fitz groan "God you are so tight."

She reached for his butt and pushed him in as far as he would go. He started of slowly and then increased his pace until they were both moaning into the master bedroom. She felt him sucking on her neck and breathlessly she swatted him away. The last thing she needed was to go home with hickeys on her neck.

Fitz smiled and remembered his ex-wife's favorite position to end on, because as much as he hated to admit it she and him were not going to last very long. He pulled out of her and she looked at him with a crazy look. Fitz grabbed her waist and pulled her up, "Turn around Mellie."

He loved when her mouth turned into a huge grin and she complied to being on all fours. Fitz entered her from behind and started thrusting into her at an indescribable pace. Then he pushed down on her back until she was flat on her stomach with him still behind her. She couldn't handle how deep he was, and her moans got louder with each thrust. With one last pulse Mellie and Fitz groaned and he held her from behind in a tight embrace.

Their breaths labored and Mellie was seeing stars. Fitz pulled out slowly and rolled to her side. Mellie turned to lay on her back and they both looked lazily at the ceiling, with a damp sweat covering their bodies. Mellie got up to get the quilt from her room and Fitz practically shouted "Where are you going?"

She laughed, "Relax I'm going to get my quilt before we both get the chills."

Fitz watched Mellie leave nakedly from the room, and smiled at just how beautiful her black curls rested on her back. She came back with the soft quilt and placed it on both of them. Reluctantly she cuddled into Fitz when he opened her left arm to let her rest on his chest. His breath got longer and longer until Mellie was sure he was asleep. Then she heard him say.

"I wish I'd known how much you loved me. I wish I had cared enough to know back then."

"Torture is small talk with someone you used to love. Go to sleep Fitz, I'll be in the house when you wake," with that Mellie kissed his left peck and watched as he let his eyelids close.

* * *

Fitz woke up to a new blanket on top of him, and he did not remember this fluffy comforter at all. He remembered falling asleep with Mellie next to him and her girly quilt that barely covered the both of them. Then he heard conversation down the hallway, and spoke up "Mellie?!" He threw the blanket off his naked body and found the pajama pants folded neatly on the floor next to where he stood up. He grabbed them and put them on hastily.

Fitz followed the voices coming from the living room and heard Mellie's. Relieved that she was here he let his breath calm. As he turned the corner he said "Mellie I thought you left-" then he came face to face with Mellie and his wife Olivia Pope quickly standing up from the couch to greet him. Olivia looked at him with a hopeful smile on her face and he couldn't stand to look at her at this moment. His eyes flared to Mellie's who wouldn't look at him. Then he noticed her two suitcases by the couch and his heart broke into a million pieces.

"I – I opened up to you Mellie and now you're leaving. I finally was honest with you," his voice spoke barely above the tempo of a whisper. Mellie lowered her head and stared at her black flats.

Olivia suddenly answered him with a calm voice, "I know you feel bad for sending those troops into West Angola, and I also understand that you felt that's what needed to be done and I don't resent you for that Fitz."

Fitz didn't break his stare at Mellie to look at Olivia's pleading eyes. "You told her?" he asked Mellie and she looked up with slightly watered eyes.

"It's what needed to be done. She is your . . . _wife_."

Then he saw Olivia approach him and she threw her arms around his waist and buried her face into his bare chest "I'm so sorry Fitz," Olivia whispered over and over again into his body.

His arms rested against his sides and slowly he placed his arms around Olivia emotionless. "No it was my fault _sweet baby," _he saw Mellie flinch slightly and continued, "I should have been honest with you. That's what I learned."

Olivia pulled away from Fitz to look at Mellie, "Thank you. I am really grateful for you to have come here. I know it probably wasn't easy."

Mellie smiled, "Well that's true."

Olivia went back to coddling her husband and Fitz kept eye lines with his ex-wife. With a sigh Mellie grabbed both her suitcases in her arms and rolled them to the front door. Never looking back at Fitz's torn face.

* * *

Also guys I put this little acting list together. This is how I see the characters, you don't have to agree. But this is what goes through my brain. -O.M.

Mellie Grant - Bellamy Young

Fitzgerald Grant - Tony Goldwyn

Karen - the first Karen they casted

Percy - Peter Hermann

Meredith - Rosamund Pike

Julissa Catherine Jones-Johnson (Mellie's Mom) - Gena Rowlands

Kyle King - David Boreanaz


	14. The Golden State

Life makes love look hard. Sorry for making this chapter tiny.

xoxo, Olive Middleton

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The Golden State

(Eight Weeks Later)

Mellie couldn't help it as she heaved into the bathroom toilet. Kyle and her were staying at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins in San Francisco, California. As she let the last of her late lunch out of her system, Mellie thought about her monthly period and how it was two weeks overdue. _This doesn't make any sense, Kyle and I have had unprotected sex for months and I have never been late. My body does not get pregnant anymore. I cannot get pregnant anymore; the doctor diagnosed me with __polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). _(PCOS can impede your chances of getting pregnant mostly because it might stop your ovulating,)_ Something else must be wrong._

Before she could get up from her position kneeled in front of the toilet the door swung open.

"Kyle!" she yelled moving as quickly as she could to slam the door shut again. His face was shocked, as the white wood was mere inches from his nose. He had his hands up, as if he was surrendering to Mellie. Then he said in a loud and sarcastic voice, "It's not like I've seen you naked or anything already!"

He tried at the doorknob again but it was locked, "Calm down!" he heard her yell on the other side.

"Calm is my middle name but you on the other hand will not like it if we make it to the game at half time. So do your makeup in the car or something," Kyle spoke to his girlfriend. The door opened and Mellie looked at him with a raised eyebrow and her hand on one hip.

"I will not do my makeup in the car. I haven't done that since college and by the way I am ready I just wasn't feeling well. I think I ate some bad chicken."

"You ate salad with like four slices of grilled chicken Mels, I doubt it was that. I also will not ever get those twenty bucks back for your damn rabbit food."

Mellie couldn't help but crack a smile at Kyle, he was so . . . different. She went over to him and placed her arms around his neck. "I'll return the favor another way." Mellie purred into his ear and Kyle had to restrain himself.

"God damn it, it's the Finals woman and your making me want to miss the whole thing all together." He kissed her cheek and gently pushed her away from him. Mellie frowned at him but knew that she didn't want to miss the first NBA Finals game between the Warriors and San Antonio Spurs either. "Are you sure you don't want something before we leave? Pepto Bismo or Tylenol?"

"No honey, I am fine. It was probably a little bug that I already got out," she grabbed her purse, turned to look at her boyfriend in his Tim Duncan jersey and rolled her eyes. "I can not believe I am dating a Spurs fan."

"Five Championships baby! I offered to buy you any Spurs jersey but somebody wanted Curry instead."

"Damn right I wanted Curry." Mellie laughed, she was wearing his jersey with dark blue jeans, black boots and a black blazer. Some how the former First Lady found a way to make it stylish. Kyle went up to her and pecked her lips, "Come on, it's a twenty five minute drive and tip off is in an hour."

Olivia settled on the couch with popcorn and wine, she flipped the channel to the Finals game and called out "Fitz, it's already nearing half time! Spurs are up 42-38!"

Fitz cursed from his office and walked over to his wife in the living room. He plopped down next to her, and stuffed his hand into the popcorn bowl. "It's the damn Spurs man. Duncan is twice the age of some of these boys and he's still kicking their ass." He stuffed his face with buttery goodness and mumbled looking at Olivia, "We should get tickets for the last game, I'm sure we could get front row." Then he turned his head back to the screen just as Golden State called for a time out. The camera crew started the Kiss Cam, and Olivia said "Awh it's cute when they're together but awkward when they don't know the person."

"Yah, I've seen some pretty funny ones on ESPN." Fitz cracked a smile and then the room fell silent when on the screen popped up his ex-wife and her new boyfriend Kyle King. It took a while for them to notice they were on the Kiss Cam, but they both laughed. Mellie shook her head signaling a no, blushing and Fitz listened for the commentator "The former First Lady looks so flushed, will they do it? I believe this is her current boyfriend Kris – oh I'm sorry I was just informed his name is Kyle King. Come on Kyle let's give the gorgeous lady a smooch!"

Fits could hear Olivia asking questions in the background, but he was focused on Mellie on the screen. _Don't do it. Don't do it._ He whispered internally. Then Kyle grabbed her chin and turned her gently towards him. Kyle said something to her and then she smiled leaned in and they planted one on each other. They could hear the crowd go wild even through the TV screen. Fitz couldn't stand to see Mellie with her new boyfriend, he almost threw the popcorn bowl across the room. Him and Olivia stayed silent until half time, and Fitz rose the volume once the panel of ESPN anchors took over the half time show.

"Out of the many celebrities here tonight, we usually don't speak of them when it's the Finals. But former First Lady and Senator of Virginia Mellie Johnson has just debuted her current boyfriend Kyle King to America. Mellie was served a divorce the day former President Fitzgerald Grant finished his last term in office. He is now married to DC lawyer Olivia Pope-"

"Lawyer? Lawyer? I'm not a lawyer," Olivia complained as she sipped on her wine.

"Rumors have been spun that she was Grant's mistress, but those were never answered and now they are put to rest. Kyle King served as a U.S. Army Sniper and Sergeant Major during the Iraq war and now he is a Special Agent for the FBI. Quite a change in man for Mellie, but she sure does look happy!"

The anchors went on to talk about the rest of the basketball game. But Fitz wasn't okay with sitting through two more quarters of the camera men flashing to Mellie and Kyle. So he bid Olivia a goodbye and huffed back to his office. Olivia could tell he was uncomfortable but she decided to let it roll off her shoulder.

As he sat on his desk chair, he immediately opened Google Chrome and typed _Mellie and Kyle at Finals Game_ into the search bar. Already millions of photos had been uploaded to the internet and Fitz felt his face getting hot.

_Former First Lady locks lips with boyfriend_

_Kyle King American hero and next Mrs. Johnson?_

_Mellie is team Golden State and Kyle is a Spurs Fan! _

_Mellie looks great in a jersey! How does the Senator of Virginia stay so fit? Perhaps with Kyle's help._

Fitz had to keep himself from gagging at the headlines. He looked through pictures and it pained his heart to see Mellie hold this man's hand, kiss his cheek, kiss his lips, and shout excitedly at the game with him. She looked so at ease, so different. But he finally took a good look at this Kyle King. He was tall, that was such an understatement, at least 6' 1". He had a very large build, and Fitz could tell even is Kyle was covered up in his leather jacket. His tan skin, brown eyes, and brown hair made Fitz want to Google where this man was from. A pang of jealousy riled through him when he read about all his honors in the military. _A God damn sniper shooter? What the fuck. _

Then there was a quiet knock on his office door, and Olivia walked in. "Are you coming to bed? The game's over and Spurs won 115-108."

Fitz looked at the clock, had he really been reading about Mellie and Kyle for an hour?

"You know you can just call her."

"What are you talking about Olivia?" Fitz rose his eyes up to meet her.

"You can call Mellie and prod her about Kyle. I'm sure you're worried about it."

Fitz looked with wide eyes at his wife. _Did she know?_ "I – um why would I be worried about it?"

"Because she obviously is going to have to introduce him to Teddy and Karen, and he'll be around more often. So it's somebody who is coming into our life as well. I know how much you love your kids Fitz, and I'm also sure Mellie thought long and hard before going public with Kyle. She's not an idiot, she must really like him."

"Yah she really must," Fitz said in a soft whisper. Olivia continued to stare at him until she finally gave up and walked alone back to their master bedroom. Fitz rubbed his face and hated that Mellie was giving him a headache all the way across the country. The thought of them together started burning through his brain and he tried not to picture Kyle and Mellie going to bed together. His stomach felt sick from the images that kept growing in his head. She was touching his bare chest, and Kyle was taking off her clothes. He slammed his fists down on the desk and whispered, "She is going to kill me."

At the time, he thought Mellie was going to kill him, but he didn't realize Olivia would too.

Mellie and Kyle got back to the hotel an hour passed midnight, and she couldn't wait to kick off her heels. But something needed to be done first. As Kyle plopped down on the bed she whisked her way to the bathroom and opened the bottom cabinet farthest to the right below the sink. Just as Elizabeth had said, there was a brown bag with four different kinds of pregnancy tests in them. As she had been holding in all the soda she had drank Mellie proceeded to pee on all the sticks. She heard Kyle's soft snores outside of the bathroom and a little bit in her relaxed.

As she waited fifteen minutes pacing the bathroom back and forth, she thought long and hard about how in the hell she would be pregnant when her and Kyle had done the dirty unsafely numerous times in the passed half a year, and never once was she pregnant. Then just as her phone alarm went off, it hit her.

_Fitzgerald Thomas Grant and that damn fertile penis. _

Mellie looked at the signs of each test and felt the world crumble beneath her. She was pregnant.

_I can't have a baby I'm 46 years old, so many things could go wrong. If this is Fitz's baby I swear to God. What the hell am I going to do? I am in love with Kyle and I can't, I can't do this to him. I have to get an abortion that's it. I can't kill my son or daughter, what am I thinking. Who do I want, who do I want. I can't have Fitz, and I am definitely not going to have a baby with Fitz. That was a mistake, a one-time mistake for crying out loud! I do not get knocked up! I am not some silly schoolgirl who wasn't taught proper sex education! I am a grown woman for fucks sake, with everything finally going right for her. This baby as far as my knowledge precedes is Kyle Kings. This is Kyle's baby, not Fitzgerald Grant's._


	15. Last Honest Man

_Bare with this Kyle and Mellie scene all you Fitz and Mellie lovers. I promise you all, I tried hating Kyle until I wrote of him. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

**Last Honest Man**

Mellie shifted again in her seat in front of Doctor James' desk. She had just finished getting her ultrasound, and her child was but a wee little thing in her belly. Mellie still hadn't told Kyle she was holding either his or Fitz's baby, and she wasn't looking for the answer to that anytime soon. She had done some crazy shit in her life, and this just added to the list.

The mahogany door finally opened and her doctor shuffled in. Mellie couldn't believe she was entrusting what looked to be a recent graduate of medical school. Her hair was in a messy bun held together with a pen and she wore Ray-Ban spectacles that were apparently coming back from the 70's.

"Ms. Johnson. I have your test results back, if you want you can call the father in from the waiting room. It's quite important that he be informed as well," she waved her arm at the door for Mellie to go get her boyfriend from the other room.

But Mellie simply answered, "My um . . . boyfriend . . . couldn't make it. He's a special agent for the FBI and this whole brawl went down-" Mellie's words winded down and then she spoke up again, "Whatever it is, don't worry I can always relay the information to him."

Her doctor then went to sit by her and closed the folder in her lap. Looking straight at Mellie's blue eyes she said, "I'm not going to tell you whether you should have this child or not. But as your doctor I'm going to _advise_ that at your age Ms. Johnson it's in your best interest that you do not have this child. There is a 75% chance of a miscarriage and according to these tests you will put your own body in a very high level of constraint. In other words, the more you try to keep your baby healthy, by it stealing nutrients and other necessary valuables for it's survival, you will in turn become weak and risk your life giving birth to this child."

Mellie couldn't help as tears flowed down her cheeks. _I didn't even want this child in the first place, and now I am willing to give my life for her. _Something in Mellie felt like it would be a girl. "Can you be sure that all of this will go wrong? What if I come in for bi-weekly check ups and we just always make sure that we catch it before it get's bad. If it means me being on bed rest for three months I'll do it. But you just have to let me know in advance."

"Ms. Gran- Johnson. Sorry, I was just so used to seeing you on the television." The doctor stumbled to find her words and Mellie didn't even care that she was just mistaken for her former last name. "If you're going to have this baby. Yes, we can have bi-weekly check ups. I'll have my nurse call your office and we'll set them up for the next nine months."

"Thank you Dr. James." Mellie wiped her eyes and she placed her hands on her belly instinctively. Then she grabbed her purse and walked out of the office.

_I'm going to have to take some time off of work. But for as long as I can be Senator I will, the last thing I need is to prove all these misogynists right. Women can be mothers and be powerful figures in the work force. The next race for President isn't for another four years, if who ever wins this years election doesn't get a second term. So if anything it buys me time, and this baby won't affect my run. _Mellie hated putting her baby into her career equation but it was the only logical thing to do.

As soon as Mellie walked out of the back door into her blacked out town car she dialed Elizabeth, "I need the first plane to Washington DC."

_**J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building**_

_**Washington DC**_

Kyle flipped his briefing sheet and drank a sip from his black coffee. His eyes rose to one of the four photos he had in his office. This one was on the edge of his desk right next to his signed Houston Rangers baseball. It had a simple black wooden frame and held Mellie in a baseball cap, blue jean jacket and a striped white and black sundress. He was hugging her from behind, his arms resting just below her neck but above her shoulders. Their smiles were genuinely large and he swore her blue eyes shined brighter than the stadium lights. The best part about that photo was that he wasn't looking at the camera, he was grinning at her.

He thought about how opposite they had come across of when they met at her Virginia estate. He had waltz in her office to interrogate her about some money laundering that had been happening between the lieutenant governor and another powerful political figure. They hadn't known back then that it was the CEO of Clairvoyant Asset Management.

He remembered swinging the door open radically and her Chief of Staff protesting his entrance. But that skinny little blond woman wasn't going to stop him. He caught her wiping her eyes with a tissue and he was taken a little a back. Kyle had never seen the former First Lady, now Senator of Virginia, in real life. Of course his co-workers used to gawk at her when she was on the cover of magazines. But Kyle didn't waste time loving someone unattainable.

Yet there he was trying to gain his composure as she rose her eyebrow at him and stood up abruptly. He remembered that V-cut red dress that hugged her perfectly, and those damn black four-inch heels. Her nose was a little pink, and he was sure that she had been crying.

"Who the hell are you?" she growled at him. Her eyes scanned his formal black suit, white dress shirt, and black tie. "You're a suit. What do you want?"

"I'm special agent Kyle King from the FBI, and I need to ask you some questions about lieutenant governor John Monroe," he moved to enter her office but then the blonde spoke, "Mr. King today is not a good time. Can we please set this up for tomorrow? Ms. Johnson is very busy."

"No she's standing right here, I just need to-"

Mellie rolled her eyes and waved him off, turning her back and walking to her private bathroom. "Set up a meeting like everybody else Mr. King." But before she could reach halfway, someone grabbed her arm and backed her up against her mahogany book case. "Excuse you!" Mellie tried to pull away from him.

But Kyle whispered harshly into her ear, "I have until seven tonight to find a man who has been raping and murdering women, and getting away with it by paying off John Monroe. He wants a million dollars or he'll kill his daughter tonight. So either you help me or her blood is on your hands Ms. Johnson."

Mellie stared into his eyes, and breathed out "I'll help in anyway I can Mr. King." He looked at her and knew she was telling the truth. Reluctantly he released her arm and ran a hand through his hair.

"Elizabeth it's fine. Lock the door on your way out and cancel any meetings until I am done here." Mellie walked over to her desktop and shook her mouse until the Mac screen came up.

"Okay if this man has been dealing with Monroe for several years and paying him off, he has to have countless amounts of money," Mellie said accessing an income information database.

"Every payment to Monroe has been over ten thousand dollars each time."

"What do the girls have in common?"

"One works at PR for a district, the other was an accountant for a district, schools. Schools!"

"Why doesn't Monroe just tell you?"

"He was found murdered earlier today."

Mellie gulped and then spoke once more, "Okay, but not even a superintendent makes that much money. The head of education for our state is a woman, and she's a sweetheart so we can rule her out. We need a businessman. Ruthless and rich." Mellie entered criteria into her database, and three companies popped up. Kyle couldn't stand watching her do all the work and by the time she blinked he was looking over her shoulder.

"That one! Clairvoyant Asset Management, blah, blah, blah- Builds, acquires, and leases commercial modular office buildings, schools, hospitals, and temporary structures including remote workforce housing!"

"And your CEO is . . ." Mellie clicked on the title for more information, "Chris Clayton." She turned her head and Kyle was only a few centimeters from her face. "Go find him. I'll personally make sure he get's the capital punishment."

"Thank you Ms. Johnson." Kyle smiled slightly and he couldn't look away from her blue eyes. He was so close to her face that he saw a single stained tear streak on her left cheek.

"Mellie is fine . . ." she whispered, "suit."

He nodded, "Mellie," and then walked out. They found Chris Clayton in a run downed building by the bayou. Mellie was watching the news and she was glad to see them pulling out Monroe's daughter. She watched Kyle shield her from the press with his suit jacket covering her bare body.

The next day Mellie finished getting off the phone with Karen when there was a soft knock on her door. "Come in," she called out sweetly. What was up with her.

Kyle opened the door slowly and peeked his head in. "I thought I would knock this time."

Mellie smiled and closed her e-mail, "That's quite alright. You want some coffee or water?"

"I'm good, thank you though," Kyle walked over to sit in a spongy chair covered with reddish brown leather in front of her desk. "I really wanted to thank you for your help, I understand that I may have waltzed in at the wrong time but . . . it was urgent."

Mellie smiled sadly and looked up at him, with her chin resting on her hand. "You caught him. Any day you want to interrupt whatever the hell it is I'm doing to catch a rapist, please do not hesitate."

Kyle and Mellie sat in a comfortable silence, and he fidgeted his thumbs. "I don't know if you mind me asking but I'm trained to know when something is wrong with somebody. See my best friend, he's a – a psychologist and helps me out back in DC. Fill free to not answer but, is everything all right? Yesterday you were um – I saw tear stains on your cheek and if there's anyone I could beat up or something to return the favor. I will gladly oblige."

Mellie suddenly felt her stomach get tight but there was some comfort in his brown eyes. With a soft and low voice she croaked, "Yesterday was the anniversary of my son's death. I was just – I was just caught up in the moment." Kyle was suddenly standing up, and he didn't know what stirred in him. But he felt like an idiot for asking, and all he wanted to do was comfort her. He quickly blushed at his irrational body movement and sat back down.

"I'm so sorry Mellie, I forgot that you lost your son during your ex-husbands time in office."

"No problem. Thank you Kyle," Mellie said and got up to walk around her desk. She leaned on it, and Kyle stood up once again.

"There's a bakery here, that umm – you know what never mind. I should go." Kyle stuck out his hand for Mellie to shake and she cracked a lop-sided grin. But she took it in her own and shook it with a good amount of strength to have Kyle smiling. They stayed like that for quite a while when they both blushed and let go.

"You know I'm going to be in town for a couple more days, let me take you to the boardwalk. There's an awesome shrimp food truck and they also have the best funnel cakes."

Mellie smiled at his attempt to ask her out, "Kyle I- I don't know. If I'm photographed you might as well leave now. Some people just aren't used to being in the spotlight. No offense."

"Okay so what if I take you somewhere no one knows?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Allergic to pollen?"

"No."

"Then don't worry about it. What time you get off today?"

"Six."

"I'll be here at six fifteen." Kyle smiled at her as he walked out of the room, "Bye Mellie."

The vision of that moment faded from Kyle's head as his office door opened, and in walked the person he had just finished thinking about. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she was rubbing her ring finger on her left hand. Kyle immediately stood up from his desk and went over to her.

"Baby what are you doing here?" he asked as he tried to wrap his arms around her. But she turned her back to him and closed the blinds of his office windows. "Mellie, what's wrong?" he poked at her as he grabbed her hands and brought them up to his chest. She looked at him with concern in her eyes and opened her mouth to speak.

"We're good together right? You and me? You're an honest man. I needed an honest man." Mellie began to ramble off on her own and Kyle looked at her like a lost puppy dog.

"Mels, what's going on?" she wouldn't look at him in the eye so he grabbed her face in his hands and forced eye contact, "Baby talk to me . . . not yourself," he cracked a smile. Mellie poked his abs in a joking manner and smiled herself.

"Kyle, I'm pregnant," she finally whispered and as Mellie finished her sentence she found herself shutting her eyes tight, afraid of his reaction. It was silent and still for fifteen seconds and then suddenly she felt arms wrap around her and she was being spun in a circle above the ground.

"Oh honey," she heard him in her ear, and she could feel his grin against her neck. Finally he set her down and looked in her eyes, "don't come in here with that face Mels. You have nothing to be concerned about. Nothing at all."

"I'm so sorry Kyle, I was just- I didn't know if you would be happy or angry or-"

Kyle shut her up with a kiss and then he whispered, "A girl. It's going to be a girl."


	16. The Man's Speech

_Fellow readers and writers thank you so much for the reviews. They really do inspire me even more. I'm very grateful. Enjoy this pretty intense chapter. Also I have exciting news after you finish reading "The Man's Speech" so stick around. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

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The Man's Speech

(Five Months Later)

Mellie grabbed her pearls from her portable jewelry pouch, and laced them around her neck. Suddenly she felt her baby girl moving in her stomach and she smiled, "Excited for tonight aren't we?" she rubbed her belly and decided not to look at herself in the full body mirror.

"Mels!" she heard Kyle call from the bathroom, "Bowtie is not cooperating with me! I feel like a stupid penguin!" Mellie laughed as she found the nearest cotton robe hanging on the coat rack and put it on before making her way to Kyle. She laughed at his frustrated face and completely terrible attempt at a bowtie.

"You should learn how to do these soon enough. With the way Hillary is paving the road, when I run it won't be ten times as difficult," Mellie's eyes gleamed up at him. As soon as she was done straightening out his bowtie Kyle instinctively bent down to be at eye level with her medium sized belly.

"We're going to dance all night long to some good old music, aren't we Arya?" he put his hands on both sides of her belly and swayed himself side to side.

"Hey! We haven't decided on a name yet!" Mellie put her hand on her waist like a cheerleader. "Plus she's _in_ me. So by default I get to decide. Right Chandler?"

"Chandler?" Kyle rose his eyebrows and stood back up to Mellie's eye level.

"Chandler King, it's pretty."

"She needs a middle name Mellie."

"No she doesn't."

"Yes, she does. How else are we going to monogram everything she owns?" his tone of voice turned back into baby talk as he swayed Mellie from the belly for the hundredth time that day. Mellie laughed as he kissed her stomach, but she finally pushed him away so she could put on her dress. Mellie hated being pregnant for the simple fact that she looked like a whale in every dress she chose. She would roll her eyes when Kyle would joke around "But a beautiful whale!"

She had settled on a simple off the shoulder black long cocktail dress. The straps had some jewels and it flowed from the bottom of her bust down. Mellie called Kyle to help zip it up and within a couple of minutes she had her shoes and the rest of her jewelry on. She decided that she would let her hair flow down her back in pageant hair waves, and settled on the classic smokey eye and matte ruby red lipstick.

Kyle had settled himself on the bed and flipped the TV on while waiting for his wife to be ready for Hillary Clinton's Presidential Launch Gala. Mellie had already sponsored her with a generous amount of money. Coincidentally enough so did Fitz.

"I'm ready!" Mellie said standing in between him and the television. Kyle's gaze went from ESPN to his curvy and glowing girlfriend. He proceeded to whistle and Mellie blushed. She started to lead the way out of the room when he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Mellie I – Today we're going to be surrounded by a lot of people. Who are going to look at you pregnant without a ring on your marriage finger." Kyle's voice was low and Mellie knew he was trying to go about this calmly. But Mellie immediately took a defensive stance and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I know what people are going to think Kyle, I'm not an idiot."

"I'm not saying that Mellie," Kyle then grabbed both her hands. "What I'm saying is, you don't have to worry about that."

Mellie's eyes grew wide and she couldn't breathe. _Is he proposing to me? No. I'm not ready. It's not the right time. Why isn't he kneeling? Isn't he supposed to be kneeling by now?_

"Mellie breathe!" Kyle shook her laughing. "I'm not asking you to marry me!"

Finally Mellie could gain consciousness and looked at him with a quizzical eye. Kyle then took a pretty cream box out of his pocket. He flipped it open and inside was a simple thin silver band with an accent of gold across the middle. Mellie stayed silent in complete awe of his gesture.

"I want you to have this as a promise ring. I don't want to rush into marriage but I don't plan on letting you go either," Kyle whispered as he took the ring out of the box and Mellie rose her left hand as her answer. But she saw something on the inner band glimmer and she grabbed the ring to examine it.

"Psalms 23:4?" Mellie looked at him with curiousness lingering from her ears. "I already accepted that huge tattoo of Jesus Christ crucified on your bicep, but honey I haven't been to church in years . . . probably since Jerry died."

"Shhhhhhh- Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. That's what Psalms 23:4 means," Kyle said as he awaited her reaction. Mellie looked up at him and she was confused. "We are on a journey together Mellie, and it's a tough one that deals with publicity and people we don't even know. But I am not afraid as long as we do this together."

"Why do I like you?" she threw her arms around him, and felt like crying. The feeling of her belly creating a little space between them made her remember about her current predicament. How could she tell Kyle now that this baby might not be his? She absolutely could not break him like that. Mellie stepped back and composed herself. Kyle took her hand and they waltz out of his studio apartment.

_**InterContinental The Willard**_

_**Washington DC**_

Their town car pulled up to the valet and Kyle got out of the car before the driver, winding around the back of it as fast as he could to open the door for his girlfriend. There were camera's flashing at every angle and reporters shouting incoherent things. Mellie suddenly got dizzy and she stopped stepping out of the back seat momentarily. Kyle noticed her disease and lowered down to her eye level, with one look she knew he was asking is she was alright to do this, but Mellie took a deep breath and nodded.

Kyle helped her stand on her flats and she looped her arm through his. Thank god there was no red carpet, they just had to make it inside the hotel lobby.

"Mellie is it a boy or a girl?!" a voice called from the sidelines and before Mellie could answer Kyle opened his mouth.

"You'll have to wait like the rest of the world People!" Mellie laughed at his answer and suddenly hotel security was moving them along to be checked by the metal detectors. Kyle was then being pulled aside and Mellie began to worry. _What the hell is happening?_

"Sir can you lift up your suit jacket please?" a bulky guy asked him in a deep voice. Mellie walked over and looked at Kyle with a raised eyebrow.

"You didn't?" Mellie sighed rubbing her right temple. Kyle smirked at her and lifted his jacket for the security guard. On his waistband was his gun and FBI badge.

"I feel naked without it okay?" Kyle said looking at Mellie who rolled her eyes at him. "Sir, I'm Special Agent Kyle King from the FBI, and I'm cleared to walk as I please with this, alright? Thank you."

The security shook his head in exasperation and Mellie's narrowed eyebrows couldn't shake off Kyle's plastered grin. He walked over to her and took her body in his arms. "Come on, how else am I going to keep you safe?" With that he kissed her cheek, and Mellie cracked a smile. As her eyes flickered around the semi-crowded lobby, she felt someone staring at her. Kyle was talking about the loads of free champagne and that the food better not be the size of one fist. But as she tilted her head towards the left, that's when she caught his eyes.

Olivia's back was toward her and they were in a group of four. She recognized the red head next to Olivia. _Abby Whelan, what's she been up to?_ Mellie's eyes flickered to Fitz who continued to stare at her; a side smirk was dancing on his lips. She didn't react to his facial expression and looked away without a second thought.

Instinctively her hold on Kyle became tighter. His trail of sight followed where she had just turned away from and Fitz continued his glare. This time the smirk had turned into a straight line and he stared at Kyle. Whether it was a show of strength or a show of who was more immature Kyle didn't want to look away. There was no way in hell any of the men were going to be the first to give in.

"You two going to whip 'em out and measure or stare at each other like a couple of fools all night?" Mellie asked through her gritting grin. Her teeth hurt from the pressure she was placing on them.

Kyle finally decided to laugh and turn his head back to his _pregnant _girlfriend. "We all know who would win that competition. No idea what his problem is with me anyway?"

"He's a lost man, sold his soul too many times that no one but Olivia is buying." Mellie said under her breath. Countless people walked up to Mellie and congratulated her on her baby and asked political questions that she didn't feel like answering. They were decent to Kyle mostly because he was very handsome in a tuxedo. But Mellie was relieved when she and Kyle finally entered the ballroom and the old school music was as the kids say, "bumping". Okay maybe the kids don't say that.

Dinner went on and Mellie was happy that she got to sit down for most of the night. Her health was holding up well, and the bi-weekly check ups made her and Kyle feel more at ease. After laughing about Kyle's comments on some particularly friendly women and handsy men Mellie couldn't catch her breath.

"I'm just saying that I have caught half of these men with an escort. I'm pretty sure one of them brought the escort as his date!"

"Kyle stop it!" Mellie smacked his arm. Luckily enough the Senator of Arkansas and his wife weren't paying much attention to anything but themselves.

"God, I need a drink. This place has to have an open bar right?" Kyle asked standing up and buttoning his suit jacket.

"Yes, I believe it was just outside the ballroom." Mellie said pointing to the doors. He bent down to kiss her forehead and she smiled sweetly.

Fitz saw Kyle getting up to leave at his table four places down and excused himself. Smoothly standing up and buttoning his suit jacket, he followed the man to the bar. Fitz caught sight of Kyle's broad back and puffed out his chest. He walked up right next to him and ordered a scotch on the rocks.

Kyle had noticed Fitz since he was half way out of the ballroom, he wasn't a special agent for nothing. But he didn't want to give this man exactly what he wanted, attention. The bartender served Fitz his glass and he downed it in one gulp. He rose his finger signaling another and the bartender obliged once more. As Kyle stirred his screwdriver around, from his peripherals he saw Fitz lift the second glass of scotch to his lips and down it once more. Just as he ordered his third Kyle rose his eyes to meet the hesitant bartender, but sadly you don't cut off the ex-President of the United States.

"You're Mellie's boyfriend aren't you?" Fitz's voice finally hit Kyle's awaiting ears. He turned to face him and they were at the same eye level. Kyle was a bit bulkier than Fitz but that was not a bad thing.

"Yes I am, my name's-"

"I know your name," the bartender placed the drink on the bar and Fitz grabbed it immediately. This time he sipped half and continued to speak, "America's hero. Sniper shooter. Mellie Grant's baby daddy."

Kyle couldn't help but laugh at this man's audacity. "Mellie Johnson, her names Melody Rayna Johnson." Fitz's eyes narrowed and Kyle could see his jaw tense. Fitz raised the cold glass and gulped the remaining brown burning liquid. He felt like smashing it on Kyle's perfectly structured jawbone, but he just slammed it on the counter and asked for another. This time the bartender looked at Kyle for help but then scurried off to make another drink. "And yes she is carrying my child."

Fitz smiled and shook his head up and down amusingly. "See you around buddy." With that Fitz snagged a glass of champagne from a waiter passing by and walked back into the ballroom. Kyle could here the music increase in volume and he knew the dance portion of the party had begun. He strongly disliked Fitzgerald Grant, especially after this stunt. He divorced Mellie, not the other way around. Who the hell was he to be a prick? Kyle finished what was left of his drink and walked back to the ballroom with a kick in his step. Mellie was his after all. So fuck Fitzgerald Grant.

He saw her dancing with Cyrus Beene on the dance floor and she didn't seem to be totally dreading it so he decided not to interrupt her just yet.

"Oh Cyrus you have lightened up," Mellie said as he spun her around "and to be at a launch party for a Democrat, the world is officially going to come to and end. "

Cyrus smiled with his small teeth gleaming through his thin lips, "I'm gay and retired from the political realm. I can do whatever the fuck I want." Mellie's medium sized belly brushed against his stomach and she was constantly reminded that she should take the dancing easy for her health. "Your boyfriends looking," Cyrus continued as they both looked at Kyle smiling goofily at them. "You really picked a different one Mellie. That is not a bad thing at all. I heard he's from Texas, that'll gain you many voters in the south I'll tell you that. Sniper shooter, American Hero, oh they'll eat that right up!"

"Oh hush, I thought you retired from the political business." Mellie rolled her eyes at him. "And I didn't choose him from a catalog Cy."

"I'm being a friend Mellie. Remember we did have to see each other everyday for seven years until that sweet ex-husband of yours fired me." Cyrus said sarcastically and his voice got clipped mentioning the incident that changed his life. He retired and focused on raising his beautiful daughter. He divorced his prostitute of a husband three years later and for once Cyrus finally felt free. "Not that I'm still wounded, but now all Fitz is known for is his penis . . . ugh . . . everything we worked for, God- I'm going to stop."

"Thank you Cyrus," Mellie laughed as they continued to sway at a slower pace.

"You speak to him much? I mean I know you have Teddy but . . ."

Mellie stayed silent as she tried to figure out how to answer that question. "No, I mean yes we talk. But we don't really talk. Teddy knows who is father is and that's all that matters, we're civil."

Mellie didn't want to talk about her trip up to Vermont to anyone, especially not to Cyrus. But then she heard him whisper, "Speaking of the Devil." Then she felt his 6' 2" body come up and he smelled like alcohol. She didn't need to face him to know that he was looking at her belly. Instinctively she rested both her hands on it and continued to stare at her promise ring.

"Fitz," Cyrus nodded at him. "I'll see you around Mellie, you do have to tell me everything about your baby with Kyle," he added before smiling big at Fitz. _Oh that Cyrus. _The song changed and Mellie finally looked up at Fitz. His eyes were stuck on her stomach and she realized that he wasn't just looking at her baby but at the silver band from Kyle. Fitz cleared his throat and said, "let's dance."

Mellie shook her head side to side, "Fitz I'm starting to get tired and I haven't even-"

"Shut up and dance with me," he breathed in her face and she smelled what she identified as scotch. "Please just one dance," he added more solemnly. Mellie's eyes flickered to Kyle who was staring straight at them. He gave her one curt nod and Mellie turned back to Fitz, "One dance."

He put one hand on her waist and the other held her hand. The voice of Tina Turner's _What's Love Got To Do With It_ played in the background. Mellie breathed deeply as Fitz linked their fingers instead of holding them palm-to-palm. "How far along are you?"

"Five months," she answered.

_What's love got to do got do with it? What's love but a second hand emotion? What's love got to do got to do with it? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?_

"How could you be so irresponsible?" his voice rang sharp through the beautiful music. Mellie inhaled and her eyes looked at him wildly.

"Beg your pardon?!" Mellie fidgeted under his touch.

"Mellie do you not know your health risks? You could die giving birth to this child- your doctor advised you to not have this baby."

Mellie let go of him and stepped back. Her chest was heaving and her nostrils flared. "You've been spying on me?!" Fitz grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to his chest. The baby bump still separated most of her body and this frustrated Fitz.

"For good reason. I don't want you to die Mellie. I couldn't – I couldn't live with myself if you died giving birth to that man's child."

_What's love got to do got do with it? What's love but a sweet old-fashioned notion? What's love got to do got to do with it? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?_

Their eyes met and Mellie felt the baby kick. _She's never kicked before. I swear if this is Fitz's kid. Oh my god I can't be here right now. _Suddenly Kyle came up next to her and curtly said "Sorry to interrupt but I'd like to dance with my girlfriend now." Fitz clenched his teeth and reluctantly let go of Mellie. He nodded at Kyle and then walked straight passed Olivia and back to the bar. Fitz ordered Vodka and he knew he should stop drinking, but it was this or plead Mellie to forgive him for everything he's done in front of all their peers. In front of his wife. So Fitz drank and drank and the more alcohol he consumed the more he got angry. He got angry that Mellie willingly got pregnant for Kyle. He got angry that Kyle was able to please Mellie and that he couldn't. He got angry because Mellie was having the baby even hearing the difficulties of pregnant women at her age.

Back in the ballroom Mellie threw her arms around Kyle and the music sped up. They quickly became the center of attention as Kyle twirled and spun his girlfriend until she was laughing for the whole room to see. Even Abby and her new English boyfriend Colin joined in on the fun. Kyle didn't know what it meant to act with his head high and prideful like a lot of these political animals. All he cared about was having a good time, and somehow that spread through the cold bones of each power hungry person on the dance floor. Until everyone was having fun doing the Wobble. It made political history to see it happening.

Mellie felt joy spread through her heart and she grabbed Abby's hand. The red head looked at her with a quizzical eyebrow, "I never thanked you for that morning on the balcony. You have balls A. Wheelan."

"You just needed a little push, and I shoved. But hey, you're welcome Mellie." Abby smiled and they went back to dancing. Hillary gave her ten-minute thank you speech and the dance continued. The DJ decided to give everyone a break and went back to easier music to sway along too. Then suddenly it was cut off and everyone watched Fitz step up unannounced on the small platform in front of the microphone. He had a drink in his hand and Mellie was sure that it had been his tenth or eleventh glass.

"Hello everybody," his voice slurred and he grabbed onto the microphone stand for support. "I just wanted to do a quick speech for Mrs. Clinton. You are paving the road for America my lady." He raised his glass, "to Hillary!" the he downed it. People looked at Hillary to see if she'd take him down but she was nowhere to be found. Fitz continued, "I also want to toast to my beautiful wife . . ." everyone looked at Olivia and her eyes weren't joyful at all. Fitz was drunk talking on stage and she needed him to get down immediately. "Mellie." The whole room gasped and Kyle looked at Mellie with an exasperated look. "Oh I'm sorry," Fitz laughed "I meant to say ex-wife. Everybody give it up for Mellie and her baby! God – congratulations you two. Especially you Kyle," he proceeded to point at Kyle with a huge intoxicated grin plastered on his face. "Congratulations on knocking her up cause God knows she didn't want to spread her legs for me!" Fitz started laughing and he lost his balance for a second.

Mellie looked at him and she was enraged. _Somebody take him off the damn stage! _She looked around for Hillary but she was still in other endeavors or busy with something. Cyrus watched as his former boss was making a complete idiot of himself and felt the need to yell at someone to take him off the damn platform, but he remembered the day he was kicked out of the White House and his heart felt more at ease. Olivia began walking up to Fitz to get him down but he stuck his arm "No, no I'm not done." He walked back wards away from her and almost stumbled on his own feet.

"Where was I? Oh yah. Kyle's magical dick because the only time we had sex in the White House Mellie, remember?" he looked at her still grinning ear to ear and Mellie mouthed _Get down! _Showing her teeth carnivorously. "The only time we had sex was to save my presidency because I was telling Olivia Pope to take her clothes off in my office." Fitz bursted out laughing once more and both Mellie and Olivia turned pale. The rumors and stories of mistresses had finally been put to rest, and Olivia being called out was finally out of the picture. Then Fitz just fucked it all up.

"It was Teddy for those of you who don't know what the fuck I'm talking about." Fitz continued and Olivia began going up the stairs to grab him. Fitz turned to her and rose his fingers, "Oh no you're going to want to here this!" Olivia stopped reluctantly and Fitz slurred "I want a divorce." He started laughing again "I want a fucking divorce." Olivia's face became completely translucent and she walked back off the stage and practically ran out of the ballroom.

Mellie watched Olivia exit and turned back to Fitz. _You fucking asshole. _Then he dropped the microphone and stumbled off stage. As he hit the wooden floor Mellie saw red hair stride in front of her towards Fitz. Everyone watched as Abby smacked Fitz with her right hand across the face. He looked at her with wild eyes and yelled "Do you know who the fuck I am?!"

Mellie didn't have time to grab Kyle before he rushed to Abby's side. "You're not the fucking president anymore asshole," he growled and then punched his face right in. Fitz fell backwards on to the steps of the platform and Abby turned to Kyle for a high five. He didn't smile but high fived her anyway. He then walked to Mellie who was standing there shocked. Kyle held her face in his eyes. "Honey?"

Mellie whispered, "I need to find Olivia. I need to find Olivia." Kyle nodded and they walked hand in hand outside of the ballroom. The party was definitely over. Mellie stopped in front of a hotel security and asked "I'm looking for a petite woman in a red dress, short black hair, brown eyes, she might have been crying?" The security guard nodded and pointed at the lonely corner stairwell up to the second floor lobby. Mellie turned to look at Kyle with her blue eyes deep in worry.

"You go, I'll be at the bar icing my hand," he pecked her lips and watched her jog holding her belly over to the stairwell. _God I love that woman._

Mellie turned the corner to find Olivia with her face in her hands sitting three steps above the ground floor. She lifted her eyes to see who was there, and did not expect to see Mellie. Olivia wiped at her eyes and whispered, "Abby's getting me a car around the back. I don't-I don't think I could handle the press right now."

Mellie sighed sadly and sat down next to Olivia as awkwardly as her belly would let her. "I know that we have not had the best past but I am truly sorry for what he did in there. It wasn't right." The two women didn't know how to act together, because they had never had many conversations alone.

"I should have known. Since I called for your help I should have known. But he's Fitz so I was in denial. I'm always in denial about him."

"Price to pay for being married to him."

Olivia smiled sadly, "You know I thought he was my sun? My truth, my happy ending to everything being completely screwed up since my parents were just the farthest thing from normal. But the relationship was unhealthy from the beginning and I was to in denial to see it." Olivia tried to hold in her tears but they started flowing freely down her soft cheeks. "My sun walked away a long time ago, and I don't know if I'll ever get him back." The image of Jake Ballard floated through both women's mind and Mellie reached for Olivia's hand.

"You are one of the strongest most intelligent women I know. You will get through this." Olivia nodded and tried to calm her breath down. Mellie continued, "You know under different circumstances I think you and I would have been great friends? I don't have a lot of those." This made Olivia crack a smile and Mellie was glad she didn't leave her alone until Abby came to guide her to the back door.

Mellie couldn't believe the way the night turned out. Fitz getting a divorce and drunkenly announcing it. He also made it very obvious that he was not over her. Mellie shook all the events from her brain and went to look for Kyle. He was holding a pack of ice and waiting for her on a couch in the lobby. Mellie approached him and sighed "God I hate DC."

Kyle smiled and decided he might as well tell her now, "Good, because we're getting on a plane to Texas tomorrow morning." He smiled and Mellie's breath caught in her mouth.

* * *

Well how interesting. I promise the story is only growing, so stop chewing your nails for an ending! Or keep chewing your nails . . . I'm not sure. Any-who I have created a cool page with Tumblr on this story! It has the description and Cast Listings (still working on their biographies). It will have any author's notes that I write on my trusty favorite Cambridge notebook uploaded to see what I think are pretty cool, an you'll get a glimpse of what goes through my brain when I'm planning out story lines or plots. It will also have any graphics I make that I feel will only enhance the image of this story. It might be lame but it's pretty cool to make this story more interactive and come to life a bit more. It does not look good on mobile so I strongly suggest you visit it on your laptop or desktop computer. Again it's only a suggestion to visit the website if you just want to continue reading the story by itself that's totally cool and appreciated too! I'm just really excited about this story and it's summer so I have some time.

Type it in with periods where the spaces are!

olivemiddleton tumblr com

-O.M.


	17. The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies

_Okay guys, I thought we could use some background on Kyle and see Mellie in a new light. The plot is about to hit an all time high, so stick around. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, although it wasn't as much Fitz and Mellie as I would like it made my heart happy. I'll let you know now though that we all know Fitz, and he doesn't really give up does he?_

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

Childhood is the Kingdom Where Nobody Dies

Mellie tried to calm her breath as the plane touched base at the San Antonio airport. Kyle had on loose fit jeans, dark brown Sperry's, and a dark blue t-shirt. The bottom half of his tattoo on his left bicep was peeking through. When he would fall asleep before Mellie, she would turn on her side and trace out the detailed tattoo. Never ever would she think to date a man with a tattoo of Jesus being crucified on the cross. But Mellie liked Kyle's answer when she finally had the guts to ask him why he would tattoo such a controversial drawing on his bicep permanently.

"I like his dedication", he had said in the dead of the night, twirling her auburn locks around his finger. Her hair had been splayed out across his bare chest and she remembered smirking. _Simple, sweet, to the point._

She grabbed her purse from the seat across her and Kyle, and stood up to get off her private plane. Kyle had refused and refused for them to use it, but Mellie got her way in the end. Mellie had never met Kyle's parents or siblings. All she knew was that his family lived in Wimberley, Texas and that s where he was from. But Kyle didn't speak much of his personal life as much as you would think. So everything was new to her.

Teddy was with Catherine, because he still had some soccer games left and his grandma was reluctant to leave him alone now that he was talking more than ever. This was also Mellie's first time meeting the King's and she didn't want to put any pressure on Teddy. Even though she knew for a fact that his cuteness could hold his own.

Mellie didn't know how she felt about meeting Kyle's mom when she was already pregnant with his child. Well his more than likely child. _Cringe. What am I supposed to say? Hello, your son is potentially the father of my child. Yea I know we're forty something and couldn't find a way to stay safe. Beautiful house by the way._

"Stop thinking!" Kyle kissed her left temple and rubbed her lower back. "I would not have brought you if she didn't already like you."

Mellie slightly smiled and stretched her neck trying to relieve some of her stress. As Kyle walked in front of her to the landing stairs she felt her phone buzz inside her purse. With out a thought she grabbed it from the first inner pocket and clicked it on.

Fitz:

_We need to talk. Please answer me._

She rolled her eyes and deleted the twentieth message he had sent her. She wanted to block his phone number but just in case of emergencies dealing with Karen and Teddy she couldn't. But Kyle did not need to know about Fitz, because if he found out about his texts somehow Vermont would find a way to the surface. Just as she was putting it away it flashed one more time.

Fitz:

_ I'm sorry Mellie. I was an idiot. Please talk to me. Even if you are angry, I need to hear your voice. I will do anything._

A part of her twiddled her thumbs to respond but she shook her head, deleted the message and threw back in her purse. The moment she got closer to the opening of the plane she felt the heat and regretted wearing her red dress and cardigan. But Mellie never listened to Kyle, even when he was the one who lived in Texas for most of his life. She saw him at the bottom of the steps with his classic Ray-Ban aviators on, helping her bodyguards with the luggage. His muscles rippled from underneath his shirt and she couldn't help but stare too long. An aid to her side handed Mellie her Kate Spade (Raelyn) sunglasses and she honestly felt a little cooler once the rest of the world was artificially dimmed.

She finally hit the asphalt and looked around for the town car. All she saw was a black 2015 Ford F-150 and stared back at Kyle who made his way to her side.

"What is that?!" Mellie pointed with a scrunched nose.

"That's Rusty . . . my baby," Kyle smiled wide and then added, "He's beautiful".

"I can not climb into that!" she gasped looking at him, "That's at least two feet off the ground!"

"I thought you were southern?" he chuckled and started walking to the car. She heard the engine rev and somehow Kyle turned it on with his keys.

"Show off!" Mellie yelled following after him. She had to admit, she had been inside trucks many moons ago and they definitely had improved. It was so sleek on the inside. She liked it even more because it wasn't just some rented truck, it was Kyle's truck. So Mellie did as all women do, she started snooping around as Kyle loaded the luggage into the bed of the truck. But oddly enough he kept his truck very clean. All he had was emergency contacts, and his insurance in the glove compartment. Then Mellie thought if he left his truck here for most of the year he probably did not want to leave it dirty.

As she stopped snooping she finally caught sight of something dangling form the review mirror. It was a simple thin leather chain with three charms dangling from it. The first charm was a small silver football. The next charm was the number 3 and she rolled her eyes. _That is a quarterback's number. Leave it to me to find Wimberley's quarterback of 1988. Why am I not surprised?_ The last charm was a slim cross and she turned it to the back to find Psalm 23:4 inscribed onto it. _Geez he really likes that verse._ But Mellie realized that if anything someone he loved got him the three charms back in the day. _Another girlfriend perhaps?_ Suddenly Mellie felt very jealous about an imaginary cheerleader or Prom Queen. _He HAD to have dated the most popular girl in school. I mean look at him now! Imagine when he was eighteen? Ugh barf. Perfect people make me angry. I bet she was a slut. Mellie stop it._ The constant narration in her head stopped for a second as the driver's door finally opened.

"Ready love?" he asked putting the truck in drive.

"Whatever," Mellie snapped still sore over the thought of an imaginary girlfriend from high school appearing out of the blue.

"Okay," Kyle said slowly and widening his eyes at her attitude, "someone's hormones are acting up. I told you to wear shorts and a t-shirt but no on listens to the boyfriend."

The air con blasted and Mellie was no longer dying in the heat. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I was just - it was stupid," she laughed shaking her head side to side.

"Well then tell me," Kyle said turning onto the expressway heading west of San Antonio.

"I just saw your necklace hanging from the mirror and my mind started wondering to your high school years. I imagined the perfect cheerleader and you winning Prom and Homecoming," Mellie said looking at him from the comfort of her dark tinted sunglasses.

"Oh yah, she was a total babe. Long brown hair, hazel eyes, cheer captain. We owned high school."

"What was her name?" Mellie growled.

"Non-existent."

"What?"

"Mellie I didn t have a hot girlfriend, or even a girlfriend at that in high school. I had too much going on at home, sports, and school. My umm . . . my parents gave me that necklace and charms."

It made him smirk when she let out a sigh of relief. Just as they got to the outskirts of town Mellie finally asked where in the world they were going if Wimberley was on the northeast side of San Antonio.

"We aren't going to Wimberley . . . we are going to Con Can."

"What's Con Can?" Mellie asked holding onto her belly. Her baby girl was fussing around more than usual and she wanted her to stop moving and rest because it's hard to be calm while something is moving inside you.

"Where my family has a summer cabin next to the Frio River. Jesus how were you First Lady? Don't know about Con Can, or Garner State Park, and you've never had Chic-Fil-A! Seriously woman I don't understand."

"Okay Texas is like it's own country, and the last time I was here was a long time ago. I shot clay pigeons for my ex-husband to not win the gun lobbyists over anyway."

Kyle suddenly became very quiet and hated that he accidently brought up Fitz. Word got out about his drunken speech from the passed night and it was all over the tabloids. Kyle didn't know how to process the fact that his girlfriends ex-husband divorced the person he cheated on Mellie with and called Mellie his "wife" all in the matter of two minutes.

Mellie still hadn't talked about the subject and Kyle wasn't particularly sure how to go about that. If he accused her of being bothered by it she would get defensive. But it was killing him to know what she thought. She acted like it didn't even happen. Kyle wondered if they had communicated since last night.

His knuckles were not bruised very much, but they were sore from punching Fitz's face in. He missed the nose on purpose so he would not break it, and the jaw because if he broke that hell would freeze over in a lawsuit.

As if Mellie read his mind she spoke up, "What goes around comes around."

Kyle wasn't sure what she meant by that, and he often forgot that ex-husband meant ex-President of the United States. Sometimes he wondered if he could live up to the man she was used to dating. But the truth was Kyle was not like any man Mellie had dated, and he knew that so he owned up to it. He was way too stubborn to change into someone else, he had tried too long to be comfortable in his skin to go about being someone's play doll.

The car drive started making Mellie sleepy and she dozed off with out a second thought. The next time her eyes opened she groggily took in her surroundings. Kyle had music on and she could hear him singing softly to a song she hadn't heard since the late 90's and early 2000's.

_I wanna wake up where you are, I won't say anything at all, so why won't you slide_

He started getting more comfortable with the song and moved his head back and forth as he sang a bit louder. The lyrics started coming back to Mellie and she subconsciously started humming it. Then before she knew it she sang - _Put your arms around me, what you feel is what you are and what you are is beautiful. Oh May, do you wanna get married or run away?_

Kyle looked at her with a shine in his eyes and a large smile. Then they finished the song and he lowered the music. "Didn't peg you for a Goo Goo Dolls fan."

Mellie scoffed, "Didn't peg you for a Goo Goo Dolls fan."

"Okay Springsteen. What else did you listen to when you were young? If you say Celine Dion or Cher I will not speak to you." Kyle looked at Mellie awaiting her answer. She smirked and lowered her eyes in defeat. "Nooooooo, Mels come on! Aerosmith? Red Hot Chili Peppers? White Snake? Guns N' Roses? _I know nobody knows where it comes and where it goes?"_ Kyle sang part of _Dream On_ by Aerosmith. "Alright we are definitely giving you a music session tonight. Kelly-Kate will be excited."

Mellie rose her eyebrows at him, "Kelly-Kate?"

"Yah my younger sister, well my only sister, well at that my only sibling."

Mellie let out a long exaggerated breath, "Thank God you only have one. I was terrified of taking on five King's at one time!"

Kyle smiled and they finished the last mile to his family's cabin with their hands linked on the gearshift. Finally the truck came to a stop in front a medium sized cabin, it had an American flag on one side of the entrance to the front door and a Texas flag hanging from the other. The yard was green like Kermit the frog and had bright wild flowers growing through out it. There was an old oak tree in the yard as well, creating enough shade to place a wooden bench and hang a swing from a branch comfortably away from the sun. Kyle continued driving into the outside garage, until his truck was under the roof. He and Mellie climbed out of the truck and she breathed in the freshest air she had smelled in a long time.

They walked around to the front door and Mellie got a little bit queasy. Then just as her feet hit the first porch step a loud thumping came from behind them. Kyle and her turned around to see a smaller truck approach the driveway. _What is it with this family and trucks? Texas._ It was a metallic grey Toyota Tacoma and the music was blaring from inside.

"So, mom or sister first? Your choice," Kyle asked gleaming at Mellie. But before she could answer the truck came to a stop and the driver's door swung open. Long legs in maroon Nike track shorts and a large white t-shirt with Wimberley High Yearbook Staff on the left pocket came running at them. Kyle took quick steps towards his sister, and she jumped on him wrapping her legs around his waist. Mellie could feel the love from both siblings and strangely couldn't look away, she hadn't even noticed her huge smile. He spun her around laughing and then placed her back on the floor.

She had long brown wavy hair pulled back in a ponytail, dark brown eyes just like her brother, and she was almost the height of Mellie. Her cheeks were a little chipmunky as she smiled brightly at Mellie.

Then the music in her truck changed songs to something with even more bass and she got red and rushed back to the truck she had left on. Mellie recognized the band and her heart suddenly felt heavy. _Jerry used to blast that in his room, I m positive. I recognize the voice._ Then the music cut off and she saw the teenage girl jump off the truck and slam the drivers door closed.

"You're still listening to Fall Out Boy? They still exist?"

"Take that back!" she gasped punching Kyle on the arm._ Fall Out Boy! That was it, Jerry met them when they came to DC I remember him talking about it at dinner for five consecutive days._

Then both brown eyes were staring at her blue orbs and she felt very self-conscious, so naturally she placed both hand on her medium belly and looked at Kyle for introductions. Kelly-Kate was smiling widely at her and Mellie watched as both siblings exchanged looks that only they could decrypt. Then Kyle shoved her and she shoved him back.

"This is-"

"I know who she is!" Kelly-Kate laughed and then extended her hand for Mellie to shake. "I'm Kelly-Kate and I am such a huge fan. I can't believe you're dating my brother, I seriously don't understand. And you're pregnant so I mean wow! Okay sorry, I talk really fast when I get nervous."

"It's really no problem, it's nice to meet you," Mellie smiled and shook her hand. They let go and Kelly-Kate continued.

"When you said 'Talent is universal but opportunity is not', I bowed down seriously that education forum was the best. What was that like a couple moths ago, I'm sorry if that's weird that I know that, I just-"

"Kelly-Kate," Kyle grabbed her from behind and placed his hand over her mouth as he shook his head and mouthed sorry to Mellie who just continued to giggle. Oh her public image was doing pretty well then, how funny how she had her public, private and professional life. How weird that they all had mostly nothing in common. Kyle calmed down his sister and let her finally breathe.

"So what were you doing out?" he asked still hugging her form behind on her shoulders.

"Mom sent me to the grocery store to buy basically everything, because she wants you to believe that I don't just pick up barbeque, take out or pizza on the way back from work everyday."

"Mom's cooking . . ?"

"Be nice!" she smacked his arm.

"I would just like for my child and girlfriend to live," Kyle said letting her go and walking over to Mellie's side. The front door swung open and they all turned to a petite woman with tan skin, a sun hat, khaki shorts, light pink tank top and cream kimono on.

"Kyle King you get over here right now!" she said in an aggressive tone.

"Oooooooohhhh you're in trouble," Kelly-Kate laughed as Kyle walked with an apologetic look towards his mother. Then as he got right in front of his mother she embraced him in a hug. Mellie was left silent for the passed five minutes as she had watched the Kings interact with each other and it felt strange. It was like another universe. No one was screaming about poll numbers or the latest Scandal, or they weren't acting civil for the press, they genuinely loved each other. Mellie wondered how this perfect family existed. But she didn't know that each family has it s faults.

"Don't worry you ll get used to it, I know we're not some hot shot rich family with a beach house at the Hamptons but if I do say so myself we are pretty fun to be around."

"Oh don't worry we can just go to my house at the Hamptons if you want," Mellie said in a serious tone. Kelly-Kate looked at her with a quizzical brow. "I'm just kidding!" Mellie laughed at her attempt to be sarcastic with the Kings.

Kelly-Kate laughed, "Oh yah you'll be fine. As long as we don't play Monopoly."

Mellie smiled and she felt bad for associating Monopoly with the memory of her and Fitz in college. Their group of friends would take it way too seriously and her Fitz would butt heads until the very end where one of them actually had to apologize for being a sore winner.

She heard Kyle and his mother talking in hushed tones and then they both turned at the same time to look at her. Mellie had been under scrutiny many times before and she never felt inferior, but boy was Kyle's mothers look terrifying. Her lips were pursed and her eyes weren't afraid to stare directly at Mellie.

Kyle walked his mother over to Mellie and they stayed silent for about five seconds until his mom said, "Honey I hope you brought some comfortable clothes because although you look beautiful, the heat only gets worse." Kyle's mom laughed and touched Mellie's arm.

Mellie chuckled and answered "I did I promise, I just hate admitting that he's right." Everybody laughed at that and Mellie felt more at ease. "It's very nice to meet you Mrs. King."

"Oh dear please call me Emma Lou, it's short for Emily Louise King," she smiled and then looked down at Mellie's baby bump. "So is this my granddaughter?!"

Mellie grinned and nodded her head up and down, "Yes, and let me tell you she has not stopped moving all day!" Emma Lou's hands went to feel and Mellie didn't expect the closeness so soon.

Then Emma Lou looked up at Kyle and Kelly-Kate, "Well go on, go get the food before the heat spoils it! Mellie and I will be in the living room."

Oddly Mellie found her place in the King's family cabin quite nicely and the rest of day went on smoothly. But it wasn't until dinner that she noticed Mr. King never made an appearance. They were all mid-way through the spaghetti Mrs. King and Kelly-Kate (mostly Kelly-Kate) had made when Mellie asked, "Does Mr. King work?"

The room got really quiet and all three Kings lowered their eyes at the food on their plates. _Fuck._ Mellie's large blue eyes wandered around and she twisted spaghetti around her fork.

Then Emma Lou spoke, "Joseph passed about ten years ago."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to . . ." Mellie apologized. They all smiled sadly, and Emma Lou said "It's quite alright, I thought Kyle would have told you. I'm not surprised he didn't though."

Kyle looked at his mom with a look of anger Mellie had never seen before. "It never came up."

"It never came up or you made sure it never came up. For Christ's sake Kyle it happened years ago-"

"We're not talking about this right now mom."

"Kyle she's carrying your child, it might as well be now or-"

"I said we re not talking about this right now!" Kyle yelled slamming the table with his open left hand. Everyone including Mellie looked at him with wide eyes and he quickly whispered, "I'm sorry. I have to excuse myself." Then he threw his napkin on the table and walked out of the dining room to the front door. The next thing they heard was a slam and Mellie looked out the window conveniently having a perfect view of Kyle siting with his head in his hands on top of the wooden bench.

"Should I go check on him?" Mellie whispered. Oddly enough her and Kyle had never really gotten into any arguments, she had only ever seen him angry when it dealt with cases at work.

"No, he'll be okay. He's probably angry at himself for getting emotional in front of you if anything," Kelly-Kate said smiling sadly and continued eating her spaghetti.

They continued eating in silence when Emma Lou spoke up, "You know his first name was Joseph originally right? It was Joseph Kyle King, because his father was Joseph Kelly King."

Mellie looked up from her plate and said, "No, he never told me that. Is that why you're named Kelly-Kate?"

Kelly-Kate looked at Mellie and shook her head side to side, "I was born Kate Marie King. But after dad passed away I wanted to keep a part of him with me, so I hyphenated my name to Kelly-Kate. I must've been about six years old when I told mom."

Mellie shook her head in understanding, and her eyesight went back to Kyle who had stayed in the same position. She excused herself and went to him in the front yard. He saw her walking down the steps of the porch and continued looking out into the dawn. Mellie walked passed him and sat on the wooden swing. From her peripherals she saw Kyle climb down from the bench and walk behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, slowly rubbing them and she sighed throwing her head back to lean on his chest. He moved back a little to push her on the swing and she readjusted her neck. He pushed her gently for a minute and then he finally spoke.

"My parents own a Barbeque restaurant here in Con Can, it has a vineyard and everything. We actually used to live here a while when I was small, but my dad wanted to better our opportunities so we moved back to Wimberley when I was about fourteen. But he never let the restaurant go, it was his other baby. It started off small and then suddenly it took off. It makes more money now more than ever actually. So that's why we're fortunate enough to keep this cabin, the house back home and mom doesn't really work - but she still owns the restaurant."

"What's it called?" Mellie asked as the night got darker and stars began to peek in the sky.

"Emma Lou's Barbeque," he laughed softly, continuing his steady push of Mellie on the swing.

"That may just be the cutest thing I have heard."

"I agree. My father was the typical family man. Handled the bills, put food on our table, and ran the family business. But he wanted me to run it and that just wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to go into the law enforcement or the army. But no, Josephs son was not going to risk his life, when he had to run the business after he were to pass away. I fought him every single day on it. Until the day I turned eighteen . . . I changed my name to just Kyle King and enrolled in the Army and left home."

"Kyle," Mellie gasped.

"I left a note with the whole story about why they had to let me live my own life and etcetera. I said they could teach Kelly-Kate to run the business when her time came. So I took off and never came back. Then we went to war in Afghanistan and my mom got a hold of me. She wrote me every week that she missed me, Kelly-Kate sent pictures to me when she had just started getting into photography, but my father never sent me anything. Until my birthday, I got three letters. One from each of them. My father apologized for pressuring me into something I didn't want to do. He said he loved me and that he hoped I was staying as safe as I could in a war zone."

Then Kyle became really quiet and didn't notice that he had stopped swinging Mellie back and forth. She waited for him to continue patiently.

"I umm, I got a notification three weeks later that my dad had a stroke and passed away. I was angry at God for so long because we had just made up and then he was gone. I don't deserve to hold his name after treating him so terribly. So I left it dropped and Kelly-Kate picked it up."

"Oh Kyle," Mellie got up and walked around the small swing to take him into her arms. He rested their foreheads against each other and kissed her cheek. Mellie looked into her boyfriends eyes and noticed the red rims around them. _It's okay to cry Kyle, you stubborn man._ She held him for quite a while and then her daughter kicked her.

Both of them got wide eyed and smiled down at the little human being inside of her. The night went on and days passed. Mellie had fun being a normal human being and she enjoyed the Kings presence just as much as they enjoyed hers. She learned that Kelly-Kate just received Editor in Chief of the Yearbook back in Wimberley and had made Varsity Volleyball and Cross-Country. She also learned not to play Monopoly with the Kings because everyone was either a sore loser or a sore winner. Mellie vowed to introduce Kelly-Kate to Karen because she thought they would get a long very well, and Kelly-Kate was interested in Texas Tech and UT Austin for undergraduate school. Throughout the entire weekend Mellie wished that her life could be as simple as living in this cabin with her newly born child and Kyle, but that just wasn't who she was. It was a great escape for a while, but she had tried too hard to make her highest dreams a reality. But looking at Kyle drink a beer by the river in nothing but swimming trunks and Ray-Ban aviators made her really wish her dreams were simpler. Maybe one-day they would be, but that day was not here yet.

It was their last night at Con Can and they were at a gathering in Garner State Park. Country music was playing, and Mellie never thought she would actually be having fun swaying along with newly bought brown boots and a sundress.

A band called The Randy Rogers Band was playing on stage, and Kyle was in dark blue jeans and a white dress shirt, brown boots and all. They were singing a song called _Too Late For Goodbye_, and any other day Mellie would have dreaded being at a place like this. But the ambiance was far from anything she had ever been too. There were no paparazzi and everyone had been polite enough to not take pictures of her at all. People were nice and greeted the Kings and her like family.

Kyle spun her around for the fifth time that night and pulled her in as close as he could, "I love you Mellie. I love you."

Mellie stopped dancing and stared into his eyes, "I love you too." Then he bent down and kissed her without a care in the world who was watching.

Mellie's phone buzzed and buzzed in her purse and Fitz was getting impatient from not hearing back from her at all. He paced back and forth around his office, taking turns looking at the divorce papers drawn up on the desk and his phone. Then he gave into his last plan and dialed his private investigator who had been spying on Mellie. It was through this PI that he found out Mellie's dilemmas with having her baby.

"Do you know where she is? I'll take a plane to Virginia if she's home," Fitz asked the man.

"Sir, she's in Con Can, Texas."

"What in God's name is she doing in Texas?!"

"I believe Kyle Kings family lives around that area."

Fitz stayed silent and felt his insides churn. _So she's meeting his family already. Well Fitz they are having a kid._ "Thank You Joe," he said and then hung up. Fitz wanted to drink his pain away but that would only cause more trouble and he was trying to get back on Mellie's good side after his stunt. A part of him thought he deserved this for everything he had done to her in the first place. _Maybe Mellie deserves more than I can give her . . . but I can give her anything._ Fitz tried calling her one more time and when the last dial tone rang he was about to give up hope when some one on the other line answered.

"You need to stop calling me," he could barely hear her voice due to some background music. "Fitz? Did you hear me? This is the last time I want to get anything from you."

"Where are you?" he asked.

"That's none of your business."

He wanted to let her know that he knew exactly where she was. But if he said that she would hate him even more for keeping tabs on her. "I'm sorry Mellie, I didn't mean to be that rude last night. I just- I had a lot to drink and my sober thoughts became drunken words."

"I'm not the one who's hurt," she said referring to Olivia. "How's your face?"

"Your boyfriend doesn't hit that hard."

Mellie cackled, "He knocked you on your ass Fitz."

Fitz smiled, not at her words but at her laugh. Even through the phone it was whimsical. "I miss you Mellie. Please give me a chance."

"Fitz, it's too late," she answered and the silence dragged on, "I'm finally happy. Can't you just let me be happy?"

"Mellie, I love you. I will give up anything and everything to prove that I love you."

"Fitz, it's _too_ late. I have to go. Please don't call again," then Mellie hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She shook her head to clear her mind and walked back to the party. Across the country Fitz sat alone in his big house. He wanted to yell because things weren't going his way at all, but all he found himself doing was staring at his motionless pictures all along his office book cases. He didn't realize that subconsciously ever photo he had put up of his family still had Mellie in it. He wondered how Olivia let him get away with it. But when it came down to reasons, in Fitz mind that was his family. He never had anyone, always being alone in a fucked up childhood.

_Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age The child is grown, and puts away childish things._  
_Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies._

But Fitz wasn't a child anymore.

_To be grown up is to sit at the table with people who have died,_  
_Who neither listen nor speak;_  
_Who do not drink their tea, though they always said Tea was such a comfort._

_Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies._

* * *

_Alright whaaaatttt a deep ending. Hints or no hints? Also I photoshopped pictures together on my Tumblr page, don't know how great they are, but they were fun to do! Also, the uploading device for this website is not treating me well, I had to save my document as a .txt and then had to manually put quotes and apostrophes all over again in the editing document. So, if it takes me a while to upload that's why. It's very tedious and annoying. -O.M._


	18. The Waiting Game

_I apologize for this mega short chapter. Next one should be up very soon. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

The Waiting Game

(Four Months Later)

Fitz looked at his phone for the twentieth time that day in hopes that the person he had been thinking about would shoot him a text or dial his phone number for whatever need be. Of course he would eventually see her the next day, but he did not want the only reason of her company to be their son Teddy. It took a long while to get Mellie fully confident in letting her youngest son and ex-husband continue to see each other after Fitzgerald publicly made a fool of himself. Mellie was afraid he had taken up the bottle again and this time she was not sure if he had enough strength to put it back down. But Fitz proved that alcohol would not be his kryptonite and instead took the countless hours he had to think and drown in his sorrows and turned them towards Karen and Teddy.

Fitz had tried everyday for two months to get Mellie to have a conversation with him that did not deal with times and dates of sharing Teddy. But she became so sick of it that she sent Elizabeth to handle his phone calls from then on. Every time he dialed her cellphone it went straight to voicemail and he had to decide whether he wanted to be pathetic and leave a voicemail or keep his chin up and try again the next day.

As his plane landed in Virginia Fitz looked at the beat up book he had in the seat in front of him. _Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table_ by Thomas Malory, he had bought it on an online auction for more than he was proud of. It was one of the few that had been published originally in the 1500s, and it had Malory's barely visible scribbles on the first page.

_This is the oath of a Knight of King Arthur's Round Table and should be for all of us to take to heart. I will develop my life for the greater good. I will place character above riches, and concern for others above personal wealth, I will never boast, but cherish humility instead, I will speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word, I will defend those who cannot defend themselves, I will honor and respect women, and refuse sexism in all its guises, I will uphold justice by being fair to all, I will be faithful in love and loyal in friendship, I will abhor scandals and gossip-neither partake nor delight in them, I will be generous to the poor and to those who need help, I will forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven, I will live my life with courtesy and honor from this day forward._

On the page with this scripture Fitz placed an old Polaroid photo he had found of himself and Mellie at the Life and Death Brigade. She was sitting on his lap smiling and he was hugging her from behind placing a kiss on her bare shoulder. His crown was tilted a bit off his head and Mellie's tiara was placed as perfect as ever.

He heard rain falling and the beginning cold November did not embrace him as well as he wished. His long black trench coat would have to do against the winds. He put the book safely in his leather duffel bag and walked with two of his service agents down the steps of his airplane. His breath made smoke into the air due to condensation and he remembered when Mellie would pretend to smoke back at Yale during the winter. She would place two fingers in front of her mouth and breath out as if she actually had a cigarette between them. Fitz remembered how pink her nose would get from breathing in such terribly cold conditions.

Fitz absolutely hated that the best memories he had of Mellie were during law school. It reminded him everyday how wasteful his time had been in the White House. What a terrible thing it is to think a person could be more than just a person. Mellie had feelings just like he and Olivia. Mellie had to endure watching her husband flaunt his affair with out a care, and each time it was she who had to apologize. It was an act of the universe that she still could not quite understand. He was the one who had the affair, he was the one who decided to up and end their marriage. But each and every time it came down to truly whose fault it was, Mellie was at the lower hand.

Fitz climbed into the town car awaiting him and continued to click on and off his phone. _Maybe arriving here twenty-four hours before I actually need to be here was a bad idea._ He decided to go to his hotel and watch whatever blockbuster was already available on Pay Per View. The clock turned and turned and Fitz kept looking at the watch on his left wrist. _Midnight._ He decided to turn off his TV and head down to the hotels gym to run a couple of miles and maybe that would help him pass the time. Fitz grabbed his gold wireless Beats and iPhone, checking it one more time before climbing onto the treadmill. After four miles and a cool down of half a mile he finally pressed the big red stop button on the machine and went back up to his hotel suite. _Two-thirty in the morning._ Fitz climbed into the shower, changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt, and then laid down on his back on the king size bed.

His eyes wandered around the ceiling and his thoughts started to roam around more than usual. All of them leading back to Mellie of course. The silence was deafening and only inspired his depressed thoughts to continue their journey through his brain. Time was running out. His time on Earth was only shortening and he still did not have Mellie on his side. Fitz rubbed his eyes, _stop thinking, stop it._ His fingers urged to open a mini bottle of vodka from the refrigerator but he knew she would know. Some how she always did.

He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and sat upright against the headboard. As he clicked it on, the picture of Karen, Teddy and him at a Longhorn football game showed up. Karen's boyfriend had taken the picture, and he loved all of their joyful smiles. Fitz went to his messages and the sadness that had just been burned through by light again came back. His number one person on his messaging list was Mellie. Of course all the messages had been outgoing. _I could try one more time. No. Just wait Fitz. Four in the morning._

His eyes became heavy and at last he felt himself fall asleep. He wished Mellie would be there with him when his eyes opened but he did not let himself indulge in that dream too much. All he wanted now was to wake up an hour before he had to pick up Teddy, Fitz could not stand to wait around. For no one or anything.

Fitz opened his eyes and decided he could use an extra hour of sleep. So this routine went on until he finally decided to fully wake up. It was four in the afternoon and he rolled out of his mattress. It had been left damp due to his overnight sweat. Fitz cringed, he only did that when he was stressing out, even in his dreams. Mellie used to hate it because that is how she knew Olivia was a problem in their life again. But now, Olivia was not the problem. It was Mellie.

He took another shower and got ready at the most leisurely pace he possibly could. Finally the clock hit six and he grabbed his leather duffel bag and headed into the town car on his way to Mellie's estate. He really hoped that Kyle was not there because it was going to take a lot of self will to not punch him for that time at the launch party. But as the car pulled up to the curved driveway, all that was parked was Mellie's black Mercedes G-Class SUV.

Fitz grabbed his duffel bag from the seat next to him and stepped out into the cold night. He felt himself getting nervous as he approached the front door. _Just do not be an asshole._ He rang the doorbell twice, and after about ten seconds the door swung open. Mellie looked like she was about to give birth, and then he remembered she was on her last month of pregnancy. The baby was due for mid-December. He hair was pulled back into a loose bun and she was wearing a soft oversized light blue shirt and grey Nike sweat pants.

"I umm- you look-"

"Like I'm about to explode? Yah I know," Mellie rolled her eyes and laughed, opening the door for him to come in. She waddled her way over to the living room and sat down on her couch. Fitz smiled following her, well she is in a good mood. He sat on the opposite chair of where she was sitting and looked at her. She looks like she did with Jerry and Karen, he hated to say it but Teddy was conceived under different circumstances so no she was not always joyful to be carrying around an extra seven pounds that time around.

"Teddy is asleep, so I hope you don't mind giving him a little extra time to rest. He had a soccer tournament today and trying to get seven year olds to stay focused three games in a row is not as easy as it looks."

Fitz's eyes lowered and he felt his hear break a little bit, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have seen him. I've been here since yesterday afternoon."

Mellie looked at him and rose her eyebrow, "Why were you here since then? I said you didn't need to pick him up until tonight at seven, and at that you are thirty minutes early."

Fitz cracked a crooked smile, "I don't know. I just, I figured I would have had the courage to talk to you before I actually was allowed to. I was hoping - " he looked up at Mellie's narrowed eyes and finished, "I don't know what I was hoping actually."

"You were hoping to come and spit some apology and love mantra in hopes that I would break up with the father of my child," Mellie answered calmly looking down at her perfectly manicured fingers.

Fitz fought the urge to react harshly, but Mellie always knew how to push his buttons just like he knew exactly how to press hers. But the way she treated him sometimes, Fitz knew it was for things he had done in the past, but how long until the past can be forgiven?

"That's debatable and you know that," he said tilting his head at her with a devious look on his face.

Mellie looked at him with wide eyes, and for a moment he regretted accusing her of carrying his possible child. "I mean you are what on your eighth or ninth month? Which means this baby was conceived around February. Where were you around February Mellie? I remember you being under me," Fitz smiled and he did not know how the tables had turned so fast. But there was something about their relationship that always made them feel like the other had to be the wittier one in the room.

"Oh please, you want to know where I was in February?" Mellie smiled throwing back her head, when it returned to look Fitz in the eyes, "I was here on this couch being pounded into by my hot and very ripped FBI special agent boyfriend. I was on top of my desk completely naked being eaten out, and then getting the chance to taste myself as he kissed me while thrusting in and out of me. You really want to know where I was February? I was making love to my boyfriend three times a day every time he was here. You look around this room and I'll tell you the one in a million places we haven't had sex yet. So before you throw me your hopeless and pathetic shit, you better watch what you accuse me of Fitzgerald Grant," Mellie started off smiling devilishly at him and ended her argument practically growling through her teeth. Although Mellie still did not know for sure whether her baby was Fitz's or Kyle's, she was not going to let him have the upper hand. If that meant lying to Fitz so be it. He did not deserve to be the father to another one of her children.

Fitz looked at her with a wild look in his eyes, and he felt himself clenching and unclenching his fists. There was too much past between them, and he knew if they were ever going to move forward they needed to let go of it completely. But it is always easier said than it is done.

"Listen, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. I just- I'm getting desperate. You out of all people know how I get when things are not going my way," Fitz said running his hands through his lengthy curls.

"I do, it is not pretty. You crave control and you lash out on me."

"I need you, Mellie."

"Fitz,"

"I love you, Mellie."

Mellie looked up at the man sitting in front of her. The frown on his face made her want to go and hold his face in her hands until the sadness was taken away. But the thought of Kyle stopped her.

"Fitz, I have loved you. But, I love Kyle now. He is a good man. He is good to me. That is all I have ever wanted. He is my chance. He is my Olivia. So it is too late," Mellie spoke words but they felt empty. This is what she was supposed to say, it was the only right thing to say in moments like these. She could not hurt Kyle, not after everything he had been for her. She did love him, and she was not going to take a leap of faith to give that away to maybe be enough for Fitz.

A little body climbing down the stairs with his small backpack made both adults stop talking and stand up.

"Daddy!" Teddy said running towards Fitz who picked him up and placed the heavy seven year old on his hip. "Momma that's mean, Kyle's alone!"

Both Mellie and Fitz looked at Teddy with a quizzical eye, and then a body crept from the slightly open front door. Mellie's heart dropped a million stories as she saw Kyle smile slightly, he carried a bouquet of white roses behind his back. "Don't worry buddy I just got here, I came to surprise your momma," he said walking over to Mellie and kissing her on the cheek. Mellie felt relieved,_ at least he didn't hear about me and Fitz. Holy shit that was close._ But a part of her was still afraid that he maybe had heard. But Kyle didn't hear anything he already didn't know.

Fitz placed Teddy back on the ground and stuck his hand out for Kyle to shake. Reluctantly the two men shook hands briefly and strongly. Fitz grabbed his leather duffel bag and pulled out the book, he handed it to Mellie with out a word and nodded at Kyle before he grabbed Teddy's hand to leave.

Mellie and Kyle stared at the book in her hands; _Of course you did. I hate you Fitzgerald Grant._ She placed it on the table in the living room and said before Fitz could leave, "Hey! I don't know if Elizabeth told you but Karen wants us there for her birthday Wednesday. I promised Teddy would go, and we're driving down tomorrow because I can't fly so it will take us at least two days at a leisurely pace."

Fitz waved his hands and opened the front door, "I get the e-mails Mellie Ray!" With that the door closed and left Kyle and Mellie alone in the living room. She felt his lips against her temple and she was brought back to real time.


	19. Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here

I'm not going to say much, enjoy.

xoxo, Olive Middleton

* * *

**Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here**

It was starting to get cold in the south city known as Austin, Texas. Ladies were walking around in their knee high boots and trench coats. Men dug up the layers they had been waiting to use since summer and children oddly weren't very much seen in the downtown area. There was a small studio Apartment on 2nd street that Karen resided in but of course both her parents paid for it. So with traffic in Austin and her already living in the heart of the city she chose the restaurant only two blocks form her home to eat with her parents, brother, soon to be half sister, and Kyle.

**Second Bar + Kitchen**

**2nd &amp; Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas**

The restaurant was dim and people chatted around them endlessly. Karen was turning twenty-two years old and it still felt odd for her to order a martini with her mom and dad sitting right next to her. Luckily they were put off to the side so less people would ask for pictures or signatures. But there were still a couple of photographers looming in the windows to snag a picture of the odd family.

Teddy sat with his Nintendo DS in his hands and he had no clue what in the world was going on other than Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. Mellie was tired of being pregnant, so the more Teddy was not bothering them for attention the better. She hated to admit things like that, but it made life a little easier sometimes. Karen ordered pasta because being a vegetarian was much easier in Austin than a lot of other places in the world. To her right was Fitz, and in front of him Mellie, and to Mellie's side Kyle. Teddy was sitting at the head of the table next to Fitz and Mellie.

"I just wanted to say that although I have only known you for a little over a year, you are one of the brightest and charming girls I have ever met. I'm glad there are still people like you in this world," Kyle said smiling and tilting his beer towards Karen. "Also," he reached into Mellie's purse and pulled out a small box with a card.

Karen started refusing, "You guys are already paying for dinner, and I said no gifts this year!"

Kyle continued, "Not from us! This is from Kelly-Kate. We picked it up on our way over here." He handed the two gifts over to Karen, "She said she wished she could make it, but her team has their first volleyball play off game tonight, so she sent this." Karen grabbed the letter and opened it,

_Dear Karen,_

_I'm glad I had the honor of meeting you! You are a huge inspiration, and I hope that we can continue to be friends. Never forget me and never forget yourself! Happy 22__nd__ beautiful! _

She opened the small box and saw a silver necklace with a camera charm and book charm. One symbolizing Kelly-Kate and the other Karen.

"Tell her I said thank you! Well, I'll call her tonight after her volleyball game."

Fitz sipped his beer, and couldn't help but get a little peeved that Karen took a liking to Kyle's sister. No offense to the sister, but these strangers were infiltrating his family. Fitz decided it was no or never to give Karen his gift. He reached inside and pulled out a white envelope from his inner coat pocket. Karen looked at him with wide-eyes, and he placed them down in front of her.

Mellie watched as Fitz kept taking turns from looking at his daughter to her. Tonight was going as swell as she thought it would, of course there was the beginning awkwardness of Kyle and Fitz being sat down together at the same table but, both men kept their attitudes in check.

"Dad I said no gifts!" Karen gasped.

"No one actually means no gifts, when they say no gifts. Now open the envelope!" Fitz smiled and patted his daughter on the back. Mellie was actually quite curious as to what Fitz got Karen, after the kids grew up it was harder and harder to figure out what they would like. Her fingers tore at the piece of paper and she took out four pieces of longer paper from the inside. Mellie couldn't comprehend anything as Karen immediately threw her arms over her father.

"Oh my God I can't believe it! You are awesome!" Karen squealed looking at her gift.

"What is it?!" Mellie asked trying to look at the pieces of paper.

"They're four round trips to Florence, Itlay! Agh I'm so excited!"

"I just figured she is going on winter break soon, and she's been telling me all about her thesis on Dante Alighieri's _The Divine Comedy_, so I figured why not take her to where his home, artworks, and original manuscript are."

"Abandon hope all ye who enter here," Karen said excitedly staring at the plane tickets in her hands. "Oh my god this amazing, I am seriously going to feel like Professor Langdon from Dan Brown's series. I am such a nerd and I do not care cause I am going to Florence bitcheeesssss!"

"Karen!" Mellie gasped, and Kyle and Fitz busted out into laughter. Both men were howling and then the whole table turned into fits of laughter. Finally when it hurt to keep giggling, the table calmed down and Teddy had yet to look up form his DS.

"Why are there four tickets?" Karen asked confused.

The table got quiet awaiting Fitz's answer and he said as calmly and nonchalantly as possible, "I just figured you could take your boyfriend, me, and . . . if your mom wants to go after having her baby."

That's when the laughter definitely stopped. Mellie figured out why Fitz had really gone above and beyond to get Karen four tickets. _The nerve of this man. _Mellie turned to Kyle and he was gritting his teeth looking at the mostly eaten food on his plate. He took a swig of beer and basically chugged the amount of alcohol it had left. Karen sat silently not wanting to add any more fuel to the fire that was already cooking at the dinner table. Fitz grabbed his beer and sipped it looking at Mellie with Oscar worthy innocent eyes.

"Fitz," she started and then couldn't even find words to express her feelings. Mellie didn't even know if she should burst out on him when it was Karen's birthday. When her boyfriend was sitting at the right hand of her. Kyle then took it upon himself to say something. He had enough of Fitz walking around pretending that Mellie was still available as ever, that Kyle was just some one time rebound before he swooped in again. Kyle was tired of the man sitting in front of him stomping on everything and then using it to fix the pieces he already broke.

"You're a popular guy Fitz," Kyle said smiling straight at him. Something in Fitz sparked when Kyle used his first name. "I'm sure at the press of a button you could have any A-list supermodel, runway model, celebrity, or politician go out on a date with you." The whole table stared at Kyle silently, not knowing where he was going with his speech. "But you choose to continue to badger and play the good ex-husband to _my girlfriend. _It's disrespectful and clearly Mellie is carrying my child. So after our baby girl is born, no she will not be able to head on a plane to Florence, she will be at home with me and our daughter. Find your own girlfriend."

Fitz stared at Kyle and Mellie grabbed her boyfriends' wrist from below the table, letting his know not to let this argument go too far. "You don't know Mellie," Fitz scoffed "you don't even know half of Mellie. You see what she wants you to see Kyle. You haven't been at the ends of the world with her. You haven't been at the top of the world with her. So don't attack me for knowing exactly what it is that get's my ex-wife hot."

"Stop it!" Karen growled.

"Oh I know what get's Mellie hot, I know what get's her screaming-"

"Kyle and Fitzgerald!" she said harshly throwing her napkin on the table. "I feel like I'm at a table with the captain of the football team and the captain of the baseball team. A bunch of stupid horny teenage boys who want to measure the size of their penis on the dinner table!" With that Mellie got up very awkwardly with her belly and walked as angrily and dramatically away from the table as she could. She needed to breathe, so she headed for the out door balcony of the restaurant. She had forgotten how cold it was and before her mind could complain a suit jacket was being thrown over her shoulders. It smelled like Calvin Klein, and there was only one man she knew who wore that cologne.

Fitz leaned on the railing next to Mellie and kept his chin up at the night sky, creating little lights on Lake Austin.

"You're boyfriend has balls," he huffed. Mellie shook her head and turned completely away from him. Her arms were crossed in front of her and she wondered if Kyle stormed off somewhere. "He left to catch his breath also, I'm sure we have a solid five minutes before he comes looking for you. Probably to apologize for being a massive asshole in front of Karen and Teddy."

"You were the asshole!" Mellie gasped looking back at Fitz. "Kyle has never said anything bad about you! He has been patient with your little games and he has been the mature one! So stop trying to start a war, because no one is playing with you Fitz!"

Fitz knew this was the end. He had fucked up and crossed the line once and for all. In the moment he felt lost and found. _Damn these wounds. Damn our past. Damn our future. Damn being too late. _Fitz thoughts rattled through his head. All of it came crashing down on him, and before he could help it his head flew forward into his hands and his breathing became erratic. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything I have done to you Mellie." He turned to her and grabbed her face in between his hands, "Can't you just forgive me? I know he gives you everything that I couldn't give to you when we were married in the White House. I know that you have everything Mellie, but _I have_ _nothing _without you! I don't care if he is the one you hold in your heart, just for one night, one moment, one day, I need you to wake up next to me. I need you to wake up next to me in _my _arms, and I know it will be worth it. I am worth it. We are worth it Mellie. I just want to be by your side." Fitz's eyes were watery and tears started to flow down his cheeks. He didn't care if he was making a fool out of himself; it was his time to be the fool. It was his time to show his allegiance to Mellie. She looked at him and felt her lips quivering; this is what she had been waiting for. Nine years she had been waiting for this moment. It was all wrong. The timing, the universe, the people around her. Her life was not where she expected it to be five years ago. She was not walking away from some one she loved.

"Fitzgerald Grant, you make me mad. You make me insane. You have torn me apart and watched as I was lit on fire. You are here today but you are going to be gone the next. You are second hand smoke, I will not notice your affect on me until I am on my death bed." Mellie said stepping back and away from his hold on her. "But you are Fitzgerald Grant. You are my Versailles. You are my first Springsteen concert. You are my first husband. You are my Morgan Street. You are my King." Mellie paused and graced his left cheek with her right hand, "You are my past." Fitz's face crumbled at her words, and he fought the wracks that wanted to surface. Mellie let her hands fall slowly, "Camelot went down in flames."

She unwrapped the coat around her and left it on the rail for Fitz to retrieve once he found the ability to move again. Her sights were focused on finding Kyle, and as she walked back into the restaurant she stopped short to see Karen playing with her pasta on her plate. Mellie approached her daughter and son, and took a seat right next to them.

"I owe you so much Karen, I am so sorry this broke out on your birthday," she touched her daughters knee and Karen smiled sadly.

"Dad compared Olivia to Helen of Troy once. I over heard him talking to Tom, you know the service agent that was instructed to kill Jerry," Karen said in a calm voice, she was still staring at her food and picking it with her fork. Mellie was not expecting that change in topic so she sat quietly waiting for Karen to continue. "You guys sometimes think we're still seven and that we stopped snooping around your desk ages ago, but that's not true. When we grow up we only get more curios because we understand more. Anyways, I looked her up . . . this woman who was the cause of launching a thousand ships to start the Trojan War." Karen paused and looked up at her mother with a sarcastic smirk. Mellie was left looking at her grown daughter with shocked eyes.

"Grown men, grown leaders mom, started a war over a woman, can you believe that? Idiots. Dad sacrificed so much to get Olivia Pope to what . . . regret it later? It got me thinking; I would hate to be the pretty face that was fought over like a possession. They compare Helen of Troy to the Greek Goddess Aphrodite you know? She was the pretty sexual one. What a shame, to go over war for a sex goddess. Then I thought I don't want to watch people fight over me, if there's going to be a war, I want to lead it, I want to win the war. So I researched what Greek goddess should have been the face to launch a thousand ships if need be." Karen finally put down her fork and turned to her mother.

"Athena. Goddess of wisdom, reason, law, justice, courage, and war strategy. Fuck being Helen of Troy I want to be Athena. So I wrote a paper on her my first semester in college back in Princeton. The professor, bless her heart, asked me to identify some one in my life who most resembled Athena, to give the essay a new perspective unlike others written before me. I thought of you, mom." Karen grabbed her mother's hand and brought it up to her chest. Mellie looked at her daughter with great pride and love. She had never felt such a bond with Karen as she did at the dinner table right at that moment.

"So run the war mom. You are the leader now. People don't launch ships _because_ of you; they launch ships_ because you say so. _Don't apologize to me for what happened here twenty minutes ago, it's two grown men trying to _launch ships . . . _but they have no army because they aren't the one's in control, _you are._"

Mellie felt tears well up in her eyes, and she blinked them away as best as she could. "When did you become so grown up baby girl?" she grabbed her daughters head and pulled her closer, resting a kiss on her forehead. As she pulled away Karen's eyes drifted to something above Mellie's head, and she pointed her chin up and then down so her mom could turn around and look. Mellie turned her body and Kyle was behind her with his hands on his hips, a clenched jaw and his hair had gotten a little messy, surely form running his hands through it in stress.

"A word please," he said short and a little irritated. Mellie nodded and hated that she had been walking around so much while pregnant, she was supposed to be getting foot rubs and eating anything in her sites but here she was being the mediator at a forty some year olds party. So she got up and followed Kyle to the other side of the restaurant, far away form Fitz, Karen and Teddy.

Mellie reached for his hand and he took it away hastily. She had never seen Kyle so angry, and it was about time. Mellie knew she had been trying his patience with Fitz, and he was such a good man that he did control himself, but he was only a man. "Kyle," Mellie said softly.

"Just stop," he rose his hand to her face and Mellie fought the urge not to react badly. "If you talk I will forget what I need to tell you, because you do that to me. When you start talking I believe everything will be alright and that people make mistakes and then I'll just want to hold you."

Mellie pursed her lips and waited for him to continue by crossing her arms in front of her chest protectively, "Now don't do that either Mel," Kyle rolled his eyes, "I'm not attacking you so put your guard down." She huffed and released her arms to her sides as lazily as she could.

"Well then what are you doing?" Mellie asked confused.

"I love you. I have loved you for over a year now. But I'm not him. I will never be him Mellie. I will never have power, nor do I crave power. I will never have the money to buy four tickets to Florence just because I can. I will never be him. I know you spent more than twenty years of your life with him, and I'm sure he knows you just as he claims to know you. But I know you too Mel," Kyle said looking at her straight in the eye, they were watery and Mellie's lip started to quiver. "I know you roll your eyes at anything you disagree with. I know you can be manipulative to get your way. I know you've been hurt by the look in your eyes the first time we made love. I know you love it when I play with your hair as we fall asleep. I know that you want to be a strong woman. I know that my small town life will never be what you want at the top of the mountain you're climbing. I know you don't need me Mellie, I know that. But the thing is . . . I – I want you. I want to get lost in some corner booth with you, I want to lay beside you skin on skin and make love to you until the sun comes up and goes down again. I want to raise this baby girl with you. I want to ride across Virginia in the back seat of a town car, with body guards twenty-four seven if that means you are protected, if that means you are by my side. Mellie, I don't just want you, I – I need you. Like a lighthouse on the coast, like the father and the son need the Holy Ghost, I need you." Kyle finished his speech and ran one last hand through the side of his head. He let his eyes wander the room, and then fall back on Mellie. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were the bluest he had ever seen.

"I need you too Kyle, I need you too," she said and grabbed his face for a kiss. There lips met in a frenzy and Kyle held her as close to him as he possibly could. "Don't ever think you are not what I need or what I want. You are all I need Kyle. You are all I want," she whispered into his lips. He kissed her again and they both forgot they were in a public restaurant.

Fitz watched from his seat next to Karen as Kyle and Mellie locked lips, and he felt his heart break even more than Mellie had already crushed it. That was his Mellie, in his eyes she would always be his Mellie Ray. When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know you're alive. And Fitz sure was bleeding, this was real, he was losing the girl. He was losing everything. Fitz found the strength to look away and back to Karen, he had to apologize for his immature acts earlier and he wasn't sure how he should start off.

Kyle and Mellie walked back to the table and found Fitz and Karen in a private conversation. They both looked up at the couple, and Mellie said, "Karen honey I am so sorry, I just feel like the life in me is being drained out by your baby sister here so we're going to head back to the hotel. It's right across the street so we should be fine. I will be at your apartment first thing tomorrow though so we can go get Tiff's Treats and I'll treat you to some Kendra Scott jewelry. Okay?"

"No problem mom, I'll take Teddy home with me for a sleepover, I love you goodnight," Karen got up as Kyle grabbed Mellie's purse and coat and helped her put it on. Mellie said she loved Karen back and hugged her daughter for the final time that night, then she kissed Teddy goodnight on the forehead, and her and Kyle said one final Happy Birthday and walked out of the restaurant. Neither one saying a thing to Fitz.

As Kyle and Mellie turned the corner of the restaurant they saw a girl who looked about eighteen pacing back and forth, until she caught the sight of Mellie and Kyle. She had a hoodie on and was wearing black toms and skinny jeans. Her face had frozen tears on her cheeks and Mellie couldn't help but stare at the girl in distress. Kyle tried to pull them along until the girl stopped their track and looked at Mellie in the eyes.

"It wasn't supposed to be you," the girl said with a shaking voice.

"Excuse me?" Mellie said taken a back by the girl's words.

"It wasn't supposed to be you, but he doesn't love her, he doesn't love Olivia, he loves you," Mellie's eyes grew wide as the girl pulled out a black AR15 and pointed it at Mellie. Kyle immediately pulled out his gun and pointed it at the small girl with frightful brown eyes. "I'm so sorry, you weren't supposed to be pregnant, I'm so sorry," she was crying.

"Put down the gun!" Kyle yelled, and people screamed and scattered away from the commotion.

"He killed my brother," she said over and over again.

"Put down the gun!" Kyle yelled as he took a step forward. _He killed my brother? _Mellie thought.

"Kennedy?" Mellie whispered and then three shots rang out through the downtown streets of Austin. Kyle watched as Kennedy fell down and pool of blood grew around her dead body. He felt something wet on his hands and looked down to find his fingers covered in dark red blood. He had been shot. He still couldn't feel from where but as he used his left shoulder to put the gun back in his pants he felt the pain shoot through his shoulder blade. Everything was moving so fast. _three shots, there were three shots. _

Kyle looked behind him and Mellie was on the floor. Her hands were splayed out on her side and her face was growing pale. The pink lipstick she wore was close to being the only color she had left on her face. Kyle kneeled down and shook her body, "Mellie! Mellie! Baby!" blood was spilling from her shirt and he saw where the bullet hit her. There was a hole on her upper left chest. He heard a scream and turned to find Karen with her hand over her mouth and clutching herself with her other arm.

Kyle place pressure on Mellie's wound, fighting the pain from his left shoulder and screamed, "I need an ambulance! Karen call an ambulance!"

Fitz walked out with Teddy holding his hands, and at the sight of Mellie on the ground he picked up his son and shoved his face into his neck, clutching onto him for dear life. Karen's hands were shaking as she dialed 911.

"I need an ambulance! My mom's been shot at 2nd and congress downtown! I need an ambulance now! Mellie Grant has been shot!" Karen yelled into the phone and ran over to her mother on the floor. Kyle looked at his hands and wondered where the water was coming from, but tears had started to flow and he tasted the salty water on his lips.

"Daddy what's happening?" Teddy asked scared.

"Just keep looking this way okay bud, okay?" Fitz said holding onto Teddy with all his life, "Mellie!" Fitz yelled walking closer to his ex-wife, "Melody Rayna Johnson you open your eyes do you hear me?! You do not have permission to die, you do not have permission to die on us Mellie!" Fitz cried and felt the sobs wracking through his body. His eyes wandered to the lifeless body ten feet away form Mellie and saw Kennedy's pale face with a gun resting in her hands.

"Mellie, baby stay with me please." Kyle said in hushed tones "I need you Mellie. This baby needs you. Karen needs you. Teddy needs you. We need you Mellie."

They all saw the red and white flashing lights before they heard the loud sounds as two ambulances pulled up to the curb. Kyle could hardly bare to let go of Mellie as they put her on a stretcher. EMT's tried to approach Kyle because of the shot on his arm and he flailed away from each one, "Take care of my wife! Take care of me wife!"

Kyle climbed into the back of the ambulance with Mellie, and Fitz watched as they slammed the door and the first ambulance took off. They EMT's gathered Teddy, Karen and Fitz into the back of the second and checked their vitals as they followed the first bus back to St. David's Medical Center. Fitz held both his children close as he did something he hadn't done in a long time. He prayed.

_Our father who are in heaven, hollow be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, give us this day our daily breath and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. _

_Dear God, I hope you are listening. It's too soon, it's too soon. Please help her, please save Mellie. Please save her baby. I know I have been a shit person to the people I love and I'm sorry. I am so sorry. But Mellie doesn't deserve to die. Mellie deserves so much more. Please God do not take her away from us. Please. _

_Amen. _


	20. Not About Angels

Not About Angels

Fitz was led into the emergency lobby holding Teddy for dear life and Karen hot on his heels, trying to keep herself composed. The image of her mother practically lifeless on the sidewalk kept appearing and re-appearing in her mind. Karen couldn't bare the thought of living through another one of her family members being murdered. At that this was her mom. No matter what terrible pictures people painted of Mellie, Karen was one of the only who got to see her in another light. In a somewhat truthful light.

Paramedics led the Grant family into a private waiting room, and Fitz got the chance to set Teddy down on one of the sofas. The TV was on and the news was already covering Mellie, Kyle and Kennedy's shooting. Fitz walked over and turned it off leaving the room in silence.

Then they heard yelling from the outside corridors and both Karen and Fitz stuck their head out. Doctors were trying to get Kyle to sit on a moving bed to check his vitals. But each time one of them would get near his arm he would smack them away.

"I'm fine! It's a through and through! I need you to take me to her, I need to be next to her!" he continued to yell at them until Karen pushed past Fitz and ran over to Kyle.

"Mom's going to hate you if she survives that terrible bullet wound and you let a through and through bleed you out to death,' Karen said grabbing his hand in hers. Kyle felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and let a calm breath out. The doctors gently shoved Karen aside and started working on cleaning the bullet wound, then they proceeded to bandage wrap it and place it in a sling for the time being.

"Sir we need to take a blood sample to make sure-" a resident began talking in quick hushed tones when Kyle growled.

"Take my damn blood, do whatever, but do it fast I need to see my girlfriend!"

They stuck a syringe in his other arm and took a vile of blood. As soon as they gave him room to hop off the bed, he jumped and headed to the restricted area. Doctors tried to stop him, and he threatened him with his gun and badge, but they refused to let him pass.

Fitz watched as Kyle went mad trying to push past the doctors, he ran over to him and grabbed him from behind. Kyle tried to pull away but Fitz held steady and aggressively said, "Let them do their job man, if you keep this up they'll throw you out and you won't be there when you need to be!"

"Get off me!" Kyle yelled, and Fitz kept his strength up, struggling to keep the broad agent under his control. Finally Kyle sighed, "Alright!" and calmed his body down. Fitz reluctantly let go of him and cursed at the bruises he was sure to have on his forearms and biceps. Fitz felt weirdly calm in the chaos that was taking place, it was like he was more accustomed to trying times than relaxed ones.

Doctors walked through the secured sliding doors and Kyle knew it was for Mellie.

The taller of the two surgeons looked down at the paper he held in his hands and then said with a strangled voice, "We're looking for uh . . . a Kyle King, on behalf of Mellie Johnson." Fitz looked between the two surgeons and back at Kyle, _she changed her dependent? When did she change her dependent? She didn't tell me. _It became clear to everyone else in the room why the surgeons were acting so awkward. In a room full of strangers, one used to be the President of the United States. In times like these, how do you let him know he's not the one in charge?

"That's me," Kyle said stepping up closer to them. The look in their eyes let him know it wasn't good.

"Sir your wi-" a look to Fitz's inwardly drawn eyebrows and the surgeon changed his words, "partner is loosing to much blood. The bullet hit one of her major arteries in the chest and we're trying the best to stop the bleeding. We risk her life by proceeding with an emergency C-section to get the baby out. But if we do this we save the baby before there's much damage done to her. If you do decide to choose to go ahead and conduct the C-section you need to know that Mellie has a thirty percent chance of living. With out the C-section you lose the baby and Mellie has a fifty percent chance of living."

The doctor finished explaining the decision Kyle had to make, and Fitz stared with a grim look on his face, awaiting the answer. Kyle asked quietly, "So no matter what choice I make Mellie's highest rate of living is only fifty percent?"

"Yes sir."

"What kind of God damn hospital are you running around here!?" he growled entering the surgeons personal space. Kyle's face was only mere inches from the taller of the two.

"Save Mellie you idiot!" Fitz finally said with an exasperated look as he rubbed his eyes with his right hand.

Kyle looked at all the awaiting eyes and he couldn't think, he couldn't even breathe. "I – I need a moment." With that he rushed down the hall and saw the sign for the hospital chapel. He swung open the door and couldn't help the rage emulating from him. Kyle began to kick the candles lited on the floor, yelling incoherent words, and then finally fell to the ground crying on his knees.

"Why would you do this! I had just started to believe in you again!" Kyle shouted at God, as he tasted the salt water from his tears. "I love her and you're taking her away from me! You take everything away from me!"

Suddenly a voice by the door said calmly, "Even if you whisper he hears you . . . there is no need to yell." Kyle turned around and found Fitz leaning on the recently closed door, with his hand crossed in front of him. Fitz could see the red around Kyle's eyes, and he knew this man was in pain, both physically and emotionally. Sometimes emotions can cause physical pain, you can feel your heart breaking and your body feels like it's on needles.

"Kyle, you don't have a leisurely amount time to make your decision. They need it now. You need to decide now."

"I know what I need to do," Kyle snapped pushing himself off the ground. He walked towards Fitz and two men were at eye level with the other. "But do I save the woman I love or the child that is 25% mine? And that's because I'm being generous."

Fitz dropped his arms and felt his mouth fall with surprise. Before he could say anything Kyle continued, "You don't think I know she went to go see you? I'm a fucking special agent for crying out loud!" Kyle turned away from Fitz and began pacing back and forth, cringing at the use of his swollen arm. "But she came back like nothing happened, and we had sex over and over again. Then she said she was pregnant and I started to wonder. It was impossible for that kid to be mine! And I didn't care, I didn't care because she needed those last moments to get over you, I had to make sure she chose me because she wanted me, so I didn't care. Because Mellie deserves more than you."

"Impossible?" Fitz rose his eyebrow in curiosity, "Like you-" his eyes lowered down to Kyle's private area, and he made a clenched jaw.

"No I never had a vasectomy, I never needed it. I shoot blanks 85% of the time! That's why we were always unsafe, because I naturally couldn't have kids! But Mellie didn't know that . . . So when she told me she was pregnant either that baby is a miracle one in a million child . . ." Kyle paused and stopped pacing to look at Fitz directly in the eye, "Or it's yours."

Fitz was at a loss for words. _This child could potentially be mine. _

"So excuse me if I needed a minute to think this one through. Do I choose Mellie or the baby that could possibly not be mine? Because there is a 15% chance that it is, but an 85% chance that it isn't."

Kyle and Fitz stood in the dimly lit chapel waiting for something for anything, maybe waiting for God.

"What would Mellie want you to do?" Fitz asked through his slim lips.

The image of Mellie bleeding on the hospital cart being whisked away flashed in his mind, then he imagined Mellie twirling around a little girl with a pink dress and long brown curls around. "Mellie would kill me if she woke up and our baby wasn't alive. She would never speak to me again."

Nostalgia hit Fitz, "Then you know what you have to do."

At the end of his words a doctor rushed in with a worried look in his face, "Sir I'm sorry, but we need an answer."

Both men looked at him and Kyle spoke up, "Save my daughter. Do the C-section." The doctor nodded and Kyle followed him out the door.

Fitz looked around at the empty chapel, the glass shards of different colored glass were splayed out across the tiled floor and he kicked them away as he sat down on the first pew. He placed his elbows on his knees, linked his fingers together and brought his face to a gentle bow. He breathed in as deeply as his lungs would let him and when he exhaled his body began to shake softly.

"You took my son," he whispered. "Isn't that enough? Haven't you taken enough people from me? Am I being punished?" Fitz cried, "If I am . . . take me. She has somebody. She has people who love her. I just got started making up for the sins of my past, I am not too late. Please do not do this. Please. Lord forgive me for the things I've done, I was never meant to hurt no one."

Fitz sat on the church bench until he couldn't take the illuminating glow of candles, silence, and Jesus staring down at him from his place in the front of the chapel. Time was such a fragile thing that every human being had in common. Doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, you always want more time.

Time solved all the answers. Time made it difficult. Time made it easy. Time made people sad. Time made people happy. Time. Time. Time. It doesn't stop. No one on Earth has the ability to control it.

Fitz looked at his watch and wished he could rewind to the years in their San Francisco mansion. He wouldn't dare rewind to the first year in the White House, it was too late by then. The White House was daunting and a different world. It was not a part of this planet. It was like living in the Tower of London. People weren't humans in that house. People didn't have feelings; people weren't allowed to feel in that house. That house. That stupid house filled with greed and power and money. How could it ever be a home?

Time. Time. Time. Fitz wanted to forward time, he wanted Mellie to be his, and he wanted her to live. She had to live. _I just got started loving her. I haven't even cracked the surface. _

Fitz walked back to the private waiting room, dragging his feet step by step. Fitz saw blurs pass by, not even bothering to fake a smile his way down the corridors. The walls were spinning and his feet stopped moving in front of the door. As he peeked through the small window it pained him to see something he lost a long time ago.

Kyle was staring into space while sitting on one of the sofas. Karen was seated right next to him and held his hand with both of hers as she rested her head on his left shoulder. Teddy sat upon his lap and sucked on his thumb, something he hadn't done since he was four, as Kyle kissed the top of his head both softly and lazily, over and over again. They looked like a family. _That's my family. That should be me. _

Fitz continued to watch them until a girl shoved passed him and opened the door in a hastily fashion.

"Kelly-Kate be careful!" an older lady hassled from a couple of steps behind. She was rather tan, wearing a red shirt with a snake wrapped around a volleyball on it that said "Lady Rattlers" above the volleyball and "Playoffs 2018" right underneath it. Fitz whipped back to the teenager that had just pushed passed him and notice she was wearing white Mizuno court shoes and knee pads, black crew socks, red tights with loose black shorts over, and a white jersey with a red number 1 on it.

The lady said a quiet "Sorry," and walked passed him. He saw on the back of her shirt "Kelly-Kate" and then the number 1. It was obviously a fan shirt for her daughter.

Did these people not know who he was? Were they simply too in a rush to notice him? Fitz was not used to being overlooked. Not that he was vain, but that was his life. Everyone knew who he was. He wasn't just someone you pushed out of the way to get through.

Karen and Kyle looked up immediately at the two visitors and stood from their seated position. Kelly-Kate threw her arms around Karen and the two started to cry. Kyle put Teddy gently on the seat next to him and walked to his mother. Once in foots distance she hugged him as best as she could with his sling.

"You got shot?!" Emma Lou scolded him.

"Just a scratch ma," he said with a little smirk.

Karen and Kelly-Kate finally let go, and brother met sister in a genuine hug. Kelly-Kate held him from his good side and refused to leave him be.

"How's Mellie and the baby?!" Emma Lou asked with a worried expression on her face.

"She's in surgery. They are doing an emergency C-section to save the baby's life and then Mellie's."

"She's a strong woman, and you're a strong man, with those two genes the baby should be fine," Emma Lou said trying not to bite on her nails in anxiety. Kyle smiled sadly at her words, and looked up at Fitz. The two men knew they should not speak of paternal problems now. They still didn't know who the father truly was. But until that day, Kyle was taking that position with full force.

Fitz felt like a stranger in the waiting room until Teddy climbed down from his seat and went over to his dad. The little boy grabbed a hold of Fitz's hand and pulled him gently towards the crowd of people. Kelly-Kate finally looked at the man and her eyes got wide, then she closed them with a scrunch of her face.

"Please don't tell me it was you who I pushed passed . . . " Kelly-Kate sighed as she threw her right hand in front of her face in embarrassment.

Fitz chuckled softly, "It's okay. We're all under distress here." He stuck out his hand for introductions, "I'm-"

"Seriously people, we all know who you are," Kelly-Kate rolled her eyes in a playful way. But she took his hand, "I am Kelly-Kate Marie King, I'm his sister."

Fitz was a little drawn back by Kelly-Kate's manner, it kind of reminded him of Jerry and maybe that was why Karen and her got a long so well. "It's nice to meet you Kelly-Kate, and I'm guessing this is your mother?" Fitz turned to Emma Lou. She just nodded and smiled softly. _Well mothers don't really like me, _Fitz thought. Kyle couldn't help but grin at their interactions with the former President. Kelly-Kate of course was only a teenager and meeting somebody who used to run the country was just jaw dropping for her. Emma Lou on the other hand was an adult, who actually kept up with the good and bad and dirty of the world. So being a fan of Fitz Grant was never her ordeal, but she did sympathize with the child they lost. She would never sympathize with his adultery though. When things were broken back in her day, people tried to fix them not fuck them away. When two people love each other and they can't make that work, that's the real tragedy.

The room fell silent again and people found their seats around the room waiting. All they could do is wait. Time passed at the slowest pace possible. Kyle's mind continued to wander to Mellie. Until he tried not to think too much about her because then he would go insane.

The door to the waiting room unexpectedly opened and a young doctor in scrubs, a surgeon's cap and mouth mask loosely around her neck walked in. "Kyle King?"

Kyle abruptly stood up and waited for the lady to say more.

"Do you want to see your daughter?" she smiled, and that's when Kyle realized that his little girl was alive. That after nine months of waiting the girl he had imagine was now someone he could touch. It dawned on Kyle that his baby girl was born. It pained him a little that Mellie wasn't conscious for it to happen and that he wasn't able to be in the room with her, holding her hand, as she had to push, like any normal family would have a baby. But his daughter was alive, so if Mellie didn't make it, God forbid, he still had 50% of her forever.

Kyle felt tears fall down his face and a little but of weight lifted from his shoulders, "Is she alright? Is she healthy?"

The doctor smiled, "Perfect, seven pounds and seven ounces. She had a set of lungs too."

Everyone in the room smiled at the sounds of good news, they needed some, they would take anything.

"I told you she was strong," Emma Lou said with a grin. Kyle asked the doctor to take him to her and she obliged, everyone else had to stay in the room because they were still checking her vitals to be safe. Kyle looked in every window on his way to the room that held his baby girl in hopes that he would see Mellie. But he knew she was still in surgery for herself now.

The doctor led him into a small private room, and there she was. Wrapped in a pale pink blanket, a white beanie covering her head, and a wristlet with Mellie and his name on it. Kyle didn't know the feeling that was pulsing through him; it felt like everything terrible that was happening in the world went away for just a little bit. He took off his sling with a hiss and ignored the doctor's orders, he need to hold his daughter. He had been through worse; he needed to fell his baby girl. As he picked her up into his arms, he felt warmth like no other time in his life. Kyle looked down at her and a piece in him knew, he just knew that she was his, but it wasn't until Mellie was fully stable that he would know that answer. Kyle never planned on learning the truth, he told himself day in and day out that even if the baby wasn't theirs, she deserved him, both of them deserved him, but now that Fitz knew it might be his child it was only right that everybody get the story straight.

He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Momma's going to love you, just like I love you baby girl. I love you so much my one in a million."

Kyle felt her tiny hands in his fingers and couldn't believe something so precious existed; he assaulted her with little nibbles and kisses each moment of their first time together. Suddenly a doctor fresh out of the operating room entered the private room; Kyle turned and didn't like the sight before him. The two doctors talked in hushed tones and never once looked at Kyle.

He placed his daughter back in her little bed and walked over to them, "How's Mellie?"

They looked at him, back at eachother and then back to him. The young lady bean to speak, "She's alive."

Kyle let out a long waited breath, one he had been holding for over four hours. "When can I see her?!"

This time the older man with wrinkles on his forehead and laugh lines from age spoke, "She's in a room, but Mr. King there's something you must know."

"What is it?!" Kyle asked aggressively looking between both of them. They stood silent and looked at the floor, "What is it!" he repeated with a loud voice that echoes through the small room. A small cry came form his baby and he tried to calm himself.

"Mellie," the same doctor continued, "is alive, but she suffered from blood loss, a lot of blood loss. Her vitals are stable and her heartbeat is normal, so she is fine. But the machines are doing a substantial amount of work."

"What does that mean?" Kyle asked becoming impatient.

"She hasn't woken up."

"Well it takes time doesn't it?" Kyle pursued.

"The thing is sir, we ended our surgery an hour ago, she should be showing signs of brain movement or eye flutters by now. But she's not, Mellie is in a coma and we don't know when she will wake up, or if she will ever wake up."

"I need to see her . . ." Kyle whispered.

The doctors stood still contemplating when Kyle yelled, "Now! I need to see my girlfriend now!"

They jumped at his words and the older man nodded. Kyle followed him out of the private room, that left his daughter and the younger lady doctor alone, and walked down the hall until he came to room 124. The surgeon opened the door and Kyle couldn't bare to look at the sight before him.

"Leave," he whispered. The doctor began to protest, "Leave!" Kyle growled.

As the doctor walked out as quickly and quietly as possible, shutting the door gently behind him. Kyle heard the sound of the machine's beeping and the sound of Mellie's electronic heartbeat. There was no tube, no difficult wires, just one IV on her right arm. Kyle stood ten feet away from her pale and fragile looking body and stared at her. Maybe if he stared long enough she would open her eyes. The only true color on Mellie were her red nails, her favorite color at that.

Suddenly Kyle's body flew forward and he was at her side, holding her cold right hand in his. He brought it up to his face, and tried to warm her with the little that he could. He wished for her to squeeze his hand to assure him she was fine. He wished that she would crack a whimsical laugh and it had all been a trick. He'd rather it be a trick then real life.

"Mellie . . . baby . . . you have to wake up baby . . . please . . . I can't do this with out you. I love you honey. Please wake up. Mellie, please!" he sobbed by her bed side. "We're supposed to get married, we're supposed to follow your dreams, you were finally supposed to have your happy ending baby. We have to name our daughter, she doesn't have a name Mels, she needs you. I need you. Please don't give it up baby. Please!"

_How unfair, it's just our luck_

_Found something real that's out of touch_

_But if you'd searched the whole wide world_

_Would you dare to let it go?_

_'Cause what about, what about angels?_

_They will come, they will go, make us special_

_Don't give me up_

_Don't give... me up_

_'Cause what about, what about angels?_

_They will come, they will go, make us special_

_It's not about, not about angels, angels_


	21. The Cold River

_My greatest apologies for the wait on this chapter! I literally wrote five pages and then deleted it because it wasn't right. This story means a lot to me and thank you guys so much for following it, it truly means a lot._

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

The Cold River

Mellie opened her eyes and felt Kyle's fingers on her wrist. He was asleep in the most uncomfortable position possible. Leaning forward with his head bowed next to their linked hands, she knew he was going to strain his back like this so she sat up to move him. Then she felt a strong pain strike through her chest. Mellie looked down to see a hole right above her left breast. Her breathing caught and the memories of the hours before raced through her mind.

Trying to control her anxiety she reached to push shoved Kyle, but he didn't feel it nor did he move. Mellie took her wrist from underneath his arm and yelped at the sensation. It was like something shocked her.

"Kyle!" Mellie yelled, but he was still fast asleep clinging on to her. Her eyes widened as she saw what looked like her wrist still underneath him. _How do I have three wrists? What the hell is going on?_ Mellie pushed herself off the bed and climbed down facing the opposite wall, with an open window the entire time. She bounced on her heels a couple of times trying to shake off whatever she was feeling, and turned back around.

Mellie's legs wobbled beneath her as she took in the horrible sight. Her body was still there, on the hospital bed, pale as ever and an IV shoved into her right arm. Mellie couldn't feel her hand raise to cover her mouth, then her eyes and body crumpled in into a wrack of tears. _What's happening? Am I dead? _

She wiped at her tears to find they had disappeared, a long with the hole in her chest. Mellie grabbed at her belly and tried to breath in as deeply as she could, _where's my baby? Is she okay? What the hell is going on!_ She ran over to Kyle's still form next to her laying body. Mellie placed her hands on his shoulders but he couldn't feel her.

"Kyle?" she asked rubbing up and down his back this time, "Kyle wake up!" But the only movement that came from him was the up and down of his chest due to his labored breathing.

Suddenly the door opened slowly and she turned herself to see Kelly-Kate holding a bagel with cream cheese in one hand, and a small coffee in the other. Mellie watched as she grabbed a moving table and placed the food on top of it and dragged it over to Kyle sound asleep. Kelly-Kate couldn't see Mellie either, and became apparent that in fact no one was going to be able to see her or feel her at all.

Mellie still moved aside when Kelly-Kate came to rub up and down Kyle's shoulders. This time he did stir, and lifted his head with a groggy look on his face. His immediate reaction once gaining some consciousness was to see if Mellie had in fact woken up, but to his dismay she still laid like sleeping beauty. Still, pale, and calm. Kyle leaned down and kissed her hands before turning to Kelly-Kate.

"I brought you some food, you haven't eaten for the passed three days," she said moving the table closer to him. Mellie watched as Kyle nodded slowly and reached for the bagel. She noticed the change in his demeanor quickly, the three wrinkles on his forehead had become more apparent and his eyes looked tired. In general Kyle looked exhausted, as if something was sucking the life out of him. But it was Mellie; Mellie being hurt was sucking the life out of Kyle.

"Thank you," he whispered and took a small bite out of the bagel. "You need to go back to school Kelly-Kate."

"It's Monday dude, I've barely missed one day, and I am going back tonight. I just – I don't want to leave you alone."

"She's going to wake up, I am going to be fine," Kyle said sipping on his coffee and it burned his throat in a good way as it slid down.

Mellie bit her nails and continued to watch silently as the two siblings continued small talk. There was a knock on the window and both of them looked at eachother, and got up to leave. _Where are they going?_ Mellie felt like a rubber band stretching as she got father and farther away from her laid body. She followed Kyle and Kelly-Kate down the wing and into a small private room. Mellie squeezed by the almost closed door and caught her breath as the image of her baby girl processed in her mind.

Kyle immediately went to the nurse who was holding their child and took her from the nurses' arms. "Goodmorning baby girl," he kissed her forehead "not crying this morning I see, we're moving up in the world then." Kyle's arm was healing quite well and he refused to put back on the sad excuse for a sling. He bounced the little girl on his chest and continued to peck her small head.

"She has Mellie's eyes," Kelly-Kate said playing with the baby's little fingers. Mellie walked over to Kyle and tried her best not to disturb his movements even though she knew that he couldn't feel her. Her chest felt heavy and there was lump in her throat as she watched her boyfriend finally smile with their child. _Our little girl_. Mellie finally caught a glimpse of the little girls eyes and they were a glossy blue just like hers. Mellie urged to hold on to Kyle and hug him until he could feel her. She urged to grab her daughter from his arms and hold her against her body.

Another body opened the door and in walked Karen with her backpack slung around her right shoulder, _she must have just gotten out of class. Probably trying to distract herself from the situation as much as possible, my baby. _Karen set her bag down on one of the seats and said, "How's mom . . . any signs?"

Both Kyle and his sister looked at her with sad eyes, "No, not yet at least. She's going to wake up honey." Kyle walked over to Karen, still holding his daughter, and kissed her on the forehead. "Where's my dad?" she asked.

_Fitz? He's still here? _Mellie looked at Kyle awaiting his answer and his reaction. _Did Fitz tell him about Kennedy or does everyone think it was just a freak accident? And the news? What in the world are they saying?_

"He was with Teddy in the playroom," Kelly-Kate answered instead. Karen nodded and walked out of the room, Mellie was quick on her heels.

"I'm so sorry baby," Mellie whispered and reached for Karen's hands. For a moment it looked like Karen felt something by the twitch of her fingers, but she quickly shook of the strange feeling and continued to walk forward. She came to a stop in front of an open door and inside was Teddy and Fitz sitting at a table reading a _Magic Treehouse: Vacation Under the Volcano_. Both Mellie and Karen remembered reading those when she was a small child.

Mellie took a good look at Fitz and saw that he was wearing a loose fit cotton t-shirt and jeans with Sperry boat shoes. His hair was barely put into place, and Teddy's was just a mess of wavy curls. Teddy was also wearing what looked to be his _Guardians of the Galaxy _pajama set. Mellie shook her head and smirked, _I can only imagine what happens when they're alone in his house, probably junk food and games galore. _

Karen walked over to sit by the two men in her life and Mellie followed slowly. "You can go see mom, I'll take care of Teddy." Fitz looked up at his daughter and didn't say a word, he just nodded and kissed both of them in the top of the head. He stuck his hands in his pockets and began his ascent to Mellie's room.

Mellie didn't know where to go, all of her family was split up into three rooms and she couldn't choose which one to head back to. But her feet had already made a decision as she walked a couple of steps behind Fitz. As they finally made it back to room 124, Mellie still couldn't stand the sight of her practically lifeless on the medical bed. She walked over to the otherside of the room and watched Fitzgerald stand still by the doorway. His face was crumpled up and he quickly placed his hand over his mouth trying to muffle his sobs. Every time he came to see her, he thought it would be easier, that hope would find a way into his heart. But looking at her fragile body for the passed three days was starting to take a toll on him. Fitz wiped at his eyes and ran his hands through his hair, breathing out as calm as his body would let him. Just as Mellie was about to walk over to him, he strided to her body on the bed.

"How we doing today Mellie?" he said softly and leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. "I um I read to Teddy today, we actually read that book that was yours and Karen's favorite, it was quite the coincidence. I mean do I believe in coincidences, maybe it was fate? I'm starting to believe a little more in that than anything else." Fitz stopped talking and grabbed her right hand in his. "It's getting harder you know, for everybody . . . even Kyle's sister and mom . . . which by the way are very nice people . . . not that it matters what I think but they are a very humbled family. So I'm sorry for judging them . . . it wasn't in my right."

Mellie continued too look on at Fitz with watery eyes, _why is he doing this? Why is he choosing to do this right now? Fitzgerald, I can't – I can't breathe._

"I – I know you love him Mellie," Fitz sighed and sat down on the chair where Kyle was a couple of minutes ago. "I also know that he loves you . . . so much. I get it, I am too late. He is your chance to love without the scars of a broken past. I understand that he is who you want. Do I like it? No . . . but I love you and if he's what makes you happy then so be it. I'm not going to try and find love in someone else because you are who I want. You are perfect to me and you just – you can't leave Mellie. I see you everyday – everyday I hear that heartbeat and I know that you are. You are fighting. So please honey, keep fighting."

Mellie knew that what Fitz was saying was the truth, every last part that rolled from his tongue.

"Do you remember?" Fitz smirked, "That one time in Asheville, when it was three in the morning. We were in law school, so twenty-two year olds really shouldn't care what their parents think, but Catherine is well we've all seen The Devil Wears Prada. So I drove you home and I was going to leave because I am a gentlemen and it had only been a couple of weeks since we had been dating. But no, you pulled me inside with that little devilish smirk and gleam in your eyes that you get. I remember thinking - this girl will literally be the death of me. So Southern and innocent to the crowds, but the Mellie underneath the surface was just – a whole other person. Someone I liked. Someone I knew I was going to love. Anyways, we . . . you know . . . in your bed and to this day I still remember that night. But what I remember the most was when we woke up in the morning and we were stark naked. Catherine knocked on the door and I hid under the covers while you tried to hide your body." Fitz laughed, "She came in with clean clothes and placed them in your drawer. She said 'Goodmorning Mellie' and you were terrified as you said it back as calmly as possible, then as she was walking out she said 'There's breakfast on the table, tell Fitzgerald if he would like to put some pants on and join us downstairs.' We were twenty-two and trying to contain our laughter."

Mellie smiled as she remembered that night as clear as water form the Bahamas, then her eyes glazed over and her chest started to burn. Mellie grabbed onto the top of her left breast and cringed as the hole was beginning to scorch her. Suddenly her feet were being pulled forward and the world around her was going blank. She was on her back on the medical table just as she had laid and then everything went dark.

The next time she opened her eyes it was bright and her eyes finally dilated to the sunshine. She heard the sound of a calm river and then felt someone swaying her back and forth. Mellie was in a white gown, laced and off the shoulders, it flowed all the way down to the ground and it was the most beautiful dress she had ever worn. She was holding onto somebody and the sound of a soft piano played in the background. Mellie looked up and found Kyle staring at her like she was the stars in the sky.

Mellie turned her head side to side and it was just them two, in the middle of the woods near the river swaying to music from the clouds. She touched her ring finger and felt something cold on it. She lifted it up to see a diamond surrounded by two smaller ones. _I'm getting married? Or am I already married? To Kyle? This is happening inside my head._

"Darling hold me in your arms the way you did last night," Kyle began to sing softly to the music playing in the background, "I could look into your eyes until the sun comes up." Mellie grabbed his face in her hands and felt him, his scruff and his jaw line. He kissed the tip of her nose and Mellie squealed with joy.

"Is this happening in my head? Is this real?" Mellie asked rubbing the back of his head, forbidding to let him go.

"Of course it's happening in your head babe, what's to say it isn't real?" Kyle said smiling down at her. His tuxedo was sharp and there was a single red rose in his left outer pocket. The music slowly faded and his face got somber, "We have to go love, it's time."

Mellie looked at him with questionable eyes as he let her go reluctantly and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the river.

"Kyle? What's going on? Where are we going?" Mellie asked with a hint of fright in her voice. Her bare feet hit the soft moss of the ground and they continued to follow a green trail to the edge of the river. The trees around them started to turn brown and the white flowers began to die. Mellie grabbed onto his hand for dear life until they came to the edge of the river bank.

Kyle turned to face her and grabbed her face in between his hands, he bent down and the two locked lips. Mellie could feel something wrong, something just wasn't right. But in a dream world what could be safe? Kyle pulled away and leaned their foreheads against one another. "I love you Mellie."

"I love you too babe. What's going on, talk to me!" Mellie pressured pulling on his arms so he could come down to her eyelevel. Then a voice called form behind her, "Is she ready?"

Kyle looked up and nodded, Mellie quickly spun around to Fitz also in a tuxedo with a single red rose on his left pocket. "Yes, we're already running out of time. It's now or never," Kyle said in a low voice. Mellie kept flipping between both men and yelled, "Somebody tell me what he fuck is going on!"

"We have to go . . . now," Fitz said walking over and grabbing her hand. Kyle one last time kissed Mellie's cheek and turned his back towards them, hiding his face in his hands. Fitz pulled Mellie towards the river and she tried pulling away from him, "Kyle! Kyle look at me! Why aren't you coming? Kyle?!"

Kyle stayed silent and continued looking at the woods die before him. "Kyle!" Mellie yelled one last time.

"She has to want to come! I can't force her back!" Fitz yelled trying to pull Mellie farther into the river. With each step the river turned white like the color of her dress now flowing around her ankles. Kyle finally turned around to Mellie's endless pleas, "I can't go with you Mels. I just I can't go with you. I will be there when you wake up, but I can't go with you baby. So go!" Kyle whispered, "before it's too late."

Mellie didn't understand why he couldn't just come with them, but Fitz continued to pull at her and something within her soul just let go and followed after Fitz over the river. As their feet touched the mossy grass on the to her side, Mellie turned around and Kyle was gone. The whole other side of the woods was gone.

Mellie closed her eyes and cried as Fitz hugged her to his chest. "It's time," he repeated over and over as Mellie's eyes were shut tight. The world around her faded to nothingness and she heard the steady beeping of her heartbeat on the machine.

Her eyes opened to the same hospital room that she had been in a couple of hours before. But this time as she tried to move it pained her. It was real, Mellie was awake. The world around her finally came into focus and she heard the last words of a sentence coming from Kyle's torn voice as he looked down at their linked hands, "We're going to get married baby."

"Yes," she whispered, "Yes."

Kyle looked up quick as a whip and his eyes got wide at the sound of her voice and her eyes wide open. He jumped up and felt the tears flow from his eyes, he bent down and kissed her on the lips. Mellie kissed him back and felt the warmth she had wanted to feel for a very long time. A nurse came in at the sound of Kyle's squeals and called the doctor. "God, you scared me baby. Please don't ever do that again." He continued to assault her head with kisses to cover each inch of skin.

Suddenly a tall figure ran into the room and Mellie's blue eyes met Fitz's green one's. His breath was ragged and she knew he had sprinted as fast as he could to get over to her room. They stared at each other until he said, "You're awake."

"Yah," she whispered.

Fitz nodded up and down slowly, "That's good."

"Really good," Mellie said once more. Fitz looked at Kyle and then back at her, knowing fully well there was no place for him in that room. Kyle bent down to kiss her one more time and when her view wasn't blocked anymore Mellie saw that Fitz was gone. It hurt. She felt it in her marrow, it hurt that he had just walked out. But she tried not to show that as Kelly-Kate, Emma Lou, Karen and Teddy walked into the room.

The hours flew by and there was still no sign of Fitz. Karen had called and texted but their was no response. It wasn't until midnight approached that the nurses had to tell everyone to go home, since Mellie needed rest. Kelly-Kate and Emma Lou kissed every one good bye and said they would be back soon. Or visit them in Virginia if Mellie was released by then. Karen took Teddy back to her apartment and vowed to come first thing in the morning. Every prayer sent to the big guy upstairs was answered and everyone left with faith in their hearts.

But as the clock struck 12:15 two doctors talked in hushed tones outside of Mellie Johnson's room. They weren't talking about her, but about her boyfriend.

"You haven't told him?" the short doctor with blond hair and grey eyes gasped.

"Have you seen what the family has been through? They don't need more bad news," the older one with original Penguin glasses and gray hair said solemnly.

"So you're going to wait until the man's on his deathbed? You're supposed to be a God damn doctor Christopher."

"She just woke up."

"It's our duty, especially to the former First Lady of the United States."

Kyle had just finished putting in Mellie's favorite movie _Say Anything_, into the old DVD player when the two doctors walked in with a folder in his hands. They both looked at them expecting congratulations, which they received but they weren't expecting what came next.

The younger doctor took a long breath and said, "Mr. King your blood work came back from the lab and we just haven't had the time to get to you considering the circumstances, but time is of the essence in this particular situation."

Kyle looked up from his place near Mellie and rose his eyebrow , "What is it? Did my bullet wound get infected with something?"

"You were shot?!" Mellie gasped. Kyle rolled his eyes and kissed her temple, "You don't just not tell me that Kyle King!"

"It was a through and through babe, I've been through worse."

Mellie pursed her lips and decided to let it go for the time being. The doctors looked at each other and continued, "Mr. King . . . your CBC came back and the amount of T-cells in your body is a vast amount."

"What does that mean?" Mellie asked pushing herself off the bed and into a sitting position. Kyle watched as the doctors looked back and forth between each other to see which one would have to break the news.

"It means . . . that Mr. King has cancer."

"Cancer?!" Kyle growled and Mellie felt her heart beat pick up. _No no no this isn't happening. I just woke up. I just got here. This is not happening. _

"Your blood test is a mistake. You made a mistake!" Mellie snarled, and she wished she could jump of the bed and smack some sense into these doctors.

"Ma'am it's crucial that we run more tests, but the counts don't lie. I'm very sorry." With that both doctors left the room and Mellie and Kyle were left alone in silence.

"Kyle," Mellie croaked out.

He looked up at her and smiled sadly, "Get that ugly little wrinkle out of your pretty forehead."

"Kyle don't-"

"You are awake and breathing and you've held our baby girl, nothing else matters right now."

"No something does matter right now!" Mellie yelled as she tried not to cry.

"Mellie stop! I will deal with this . . . you just need to focus on healing. Just do that and I will handle the rest."

"There is no you handle something and I handle something. What happens to you happens to me. So no you are not going to handle this by yourself!"

"Mellie just stop! Just stop!" Kyle yelled and walked out of the room. He began to run down the corridors and out of the hospital, he stopped by the nearest tree and felt his insides rise up and out of him. He threw up what little he had in his stomach, and fell on his knees.

Mellie cried silently on the hospital bed by herself and when time kept passing and Kyle never returned she buzzed the button for the nurse. It didn't matter that it was one in the morning, the nurse walked in.

"I need to see my daughter, I don't care if she's asleep I just need to hold her."

"Ma'am you need to get some rest-"

"My daughter . . . NOW," Mellie growled and felt her veins pumping. The nurse nodded and rushed to go get their unnamed baby girl. Kyle walked in silently and looked up at Mellie with pain in his eyes. He walked over to Mellie and whispered, "I'm sorry honey . . . I'm so sorry." She grabbed his hands and he whispered, "I'm just so scared."

"I know love, I know," Mellie calmed him with her light feather touch. Kyle climbed into bed with her and held Mellie in his arms as best he could.

The nurse came in with their baby and placed her in Mellie's arms. Kyle smiled at the perfect human being sleeping in their arms.

"I know what we're going to name her," Mellie whispered.

"What's that?" Kyle asked, his eyes still glued to the tiny human being.

"Josephine Faith King," Mellie smiled looking up at him.

Kyle felt his heart break, it was perfect, they were perfect, and for a moment any bad news was just news.

"I love you," his voice was deep and on the verge of cracking.

"I love you too."

* * *

_I know, I know . . . heartbreaking. It broke mine. In case you would like to read with some music, these are some of my inspiration songs as I write. _

_Afire Love - Ed Sheeran_

_Wings - Birdy_

_Your Hand In Mine - Explosions In The Sky_

_Song For Bob - Nick Cave &amp; Warren Ellis_

_St. Jude - Florence and the Machine_

_Ship To Wreck - Florence and the Machine_

_Photograph - Ed Sheeran _

_Not About Angels - Birdy _

_Bloodstream - Ed Sheeran_

_Skinny Love - Birdy_

_-O.M._


	22. Morgan Street

_Thanks for the support readers, every comment is greatly appreciated!_

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

Morgan Street

(Five Months Later)

Mellie put Jo in her crib and was finally happy to get a moments peace. The little girl did in fact have a set of lungs on her and she let the world know that. Just for a second she let her arms fall forward leaning on the edge of the crib, and she shut her eyes. Imagining that this wasn't her life, Mellie felt bad for letting herself indulge in such thoughts but no one knew her sin other than the only man able to read her mind. She twisted her engagement ring back and forth on her ring finger, and it felt like just a ring.

She knew that it would come off her finger when he was gone. There was no stopping it from happening. Kyle was going to die. He had inoperable cancer in his lungs, and it had spread way too fast. The doctors tried every type of chemo but Mellie refused to watch him suffer, that's what the medicine did instead of help him. They just made him look paler and throw up more and eat less and become more irritated. Kyle couldn't handle being taken care of nor could he handle being weak. Kyle was not one to admit weakness. He had to quit his job and move in with Mellie. Kyle also decided to stop taking chemotherapy.

"Mellie I'm not going to the doctor! I'm dying so might as well let nature take over already!" he yelled at her as he put on his cap and tennis shoes for a walk around the house's garden with Jo in the stroller. Mellie came into their master bedroom with her hair pulled back, some yoga pants and a Yale shirt on.

"You are going whether you like it or not Kyle King," Mellie growled pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes at him. She absolutely hated seeing the cancer effect Kyle in such a negative way. He had been strong and hopeful in the beginning, they all were, but hope faded and drifted where it was needed and believed in.

"Mellie it is my decision not yours," he said through gritted teeth.

"We are married! The day you put this ring on my finger meant that decisions were decided by the both of us." She walked over to him and sat shoulder to shoulder. Kyle realized his lapse in judgment and grabbed her hand within his, slowly rubbing up and down her fingers.

"Mellie it's a long shot that this chemo even helps at all, the doctor already said that the cancer has taken over ¾ of my lungs. I am on the middle of the waiting list and even your darling ex-husband does not have enough power in the world to get me at the top of that list. Nor would I ask him to, there are children who need lungs and I have lived. I have seen the world. I have loved," he looked up at Mellie and their foreheads met. "So when I say I am not going to the doctor I mean that I have come to terms with my fate. I want to enjoy my time here with you and Jo as much as I can before I am gone. I want to be happy."

The memory faded from her head and she was brought back to live version of Jo fast asleep in her crib.

"Penny for your thoughts?" his voice rung through the silent room. Mellie didn't want to turn around, it was May 15th and the doctor said the envelope would arrive on May 15th.

She remembered Kyle confronting her in an argument one month after Jo's birth, it seems a long with marriage, a child, and cancer, arguments came more abundantly.

He knew about her visiting Fitz in Vermont, and he knew that they slept together. What everyone didn't know was who Jo belonged to. Fitz vowed to stay out of the arena until they decided to get the test results, he respected their family and after finding out about Kyle's condition he didn't want to take happiness away from any father who's happiness was already slipping.

Mellie fought Kyle on getting a paternity test until April when Kyle decided to stop taking chemotherapy, he pleaded as much as an army man would for her to just take the test. A dying wish she supposed. But she didn't want to know who the father was, in her eyes it was Kyle. In her eyes she wanted Jo to be Kyle's, and she tried to explain to him that it didn't matter the results that he was Jo's father, but Kyle was stubborn. So they swabbed his cheek and Jo's cheek and sent in the DNA for testing.

So today on May 15th, 2019 Kyle held the answers in his hand.

Mellie sighed and turned around, "It's five in the morning and I just put our daughter to bed. I'm thinking of sleeping until I hear that baby monitor go off again, since god forbid we hire a nanny like I said we should," Mellie growled and walked right past him to their bedroom across the hall. She refused to look at his puppy dog face, and permanent cap on his head since he lost all his brown locks. Mellie felt bad for giving him attitude but this who she became in times of crisis, she became cold and snappy.

She entered her bedroom and then made her way to the bathroom. Slowly she took off every piece of clothing she had on and walked into the steaming shower courtesy of . . . Kyle. _This man is too good to me, even when he is dying. _Mellie faced the hot water and felt it run down her back, and heard the shower door open and close a minute later. She heard him pop open the shampoo cap and then he began to massage the Head &amp; Shoulders liquid into her hair. After conditioning her as well and making sure she was rinsed Mellie finally turned to him underneath the hot steam.

Her fingers roamed up and down his still defined abs and up his shoulders. Mellie felt his hands on her side, and then on her backside. They hadn't made love for two months. He lifted her chin up and kissed her softly, Mellie felt him in the deepest parts of her chest and threw her arms around his neck. Their lips continued to assault each other until she needed some air. Kyle kissed her neck and down her breasts, all the way to her stomach. Then he looked up into her eyes and pushed her against the bathroom wall. The next thing she felt was his tongue slip inside of her and she let her neck throw back in pleasure. Her left leg was rested on his right shoulder and Mellie moaned louder than she had in a while. Before she could find her release, Kyle stood up and kissed her on the lips.

"Not fair," she whispered.

But her breath caught as he entered her. It was different, none of it was primal or greedy, it was love. They held onto one another until both of them groaned and moaned for the world to hear. With a few final thrusts they both let out labored breaths and leaned against one another. Kyle kissed the tip of her nose and pulled out. They washed their bodies and before Mellie could escape the steamed shower Kyle grabbed her hand and turned her around.

"It doesn't matter who Jo's is, I am her father."

"I know," Mellie murmured. Then she kept hold of his hand and they followed each other out of the shower and into the bedroom. Taking their time to dry off and change into comfortable clothing. Kyle decided to put on the days blue jeans, a black FBI T-shirt and sat on the bed waiting for his wife to join them. Mellie decided she could at least try to look like she wasn't completely losing her mind, so she put on a knee length navy blue skirt and white half sleeve lace shirt with a white tank underneath. She tried to buy as much time between putting on her selected jewelry to having to open that damn white envelope. But even when she took on and put off the same pearl necklace, Kyle sat with his hands on his lap and waited for her patiently. Kyle had everything but time and that was exactly what Mellie was trying to run out off. Finally she pulled her long wavy hair into a low ponytail, with a side part for her hair line.

Kyle watched his wife hesitantly find something else she could do before having to sit at his left hand side on the bed. Their gorgeous maroon and gold fluffy bed, which held them both at night when the other was to frustrated to cope. Cancer did that to them, it made them different, it changed them, but you must welcome the pain as you welcome the joy.

Finally Mellie sighed and looked up at one of the mirrors placed on her drawer. Her reflection made her freeze for a couple of seconds. There was laugh lines around her lips, and tiny tiny wrinkles on the side of her eyelids. Time was passing and her age was beginning to show. Mellie had certain D.A.R genes that made her look a couple of years younger than her actual age, but nothing can stop nature. She stared at her blue eyes, and in them saw her own fright.

Before the image in front of her could be saved as a core memory Mellie turned on her heel and sat by Kyle. The envelope was the barrier between the two of them, and Mellie was the first to reach for it. Her hands were shaking, and Kyle tried to act as nonchalant as he possibly could. But Mellie knew Kyle and when he was quiet there was definitely something wrong.

With her perfectly manicured nails she ripped through the envelope slit, and tore most of the flap off. She reached inside and pulled out a single paper, on the first row it read:

Case: 456789

Date Collected: 04/15/2019

MOTHER: Melody Rayna King

Test No.: 456789-10

CHILD: Josephine Faith King

Test No.: 456789-20

Alleged FATHER: Kyle King

Test No.:456789-30

There were a bunch of numbers under different title columns such as "Locus", "PI" and "Allele Sizes". All mumbo jumbo to Mellie as she didn't bother trying to make sense of it. Her eyes flitted to the important part of the page near the bottom. Her eyes flickered to Kyle and he was looking straight ahead with a straight line across his face. Mellie looked back at the piece of paper and continued to internally read.

Interpretation:

Combined Paternity Index: 323,769

Probability of Paternity: 99.9996%

The alleged father is not excluded as the biological father of the tested child. Based on testing results obtained from analyses of the DNA loci listed, the probability of paternity is 99.9996%. This DNA test was performs using the DDC DualProcess utilizing the – _BLAH BLAH BLAH._

_Kyle is the father. Kyle is the father. _

Mellie looked up and grabbed his wrists; he turned and stared straight into her eyes. Before he could speak Mellie threw her arms around him and Kyle fell flat on his back. Mellie was straddling him and kissing his forehead, cheek and every piece of him she could reach. Kyle held her close and felt tears roll down his cheek.

"You're the father Kyle," Mellie repeated over and over again. Both hadn't felt such happiness in a long time. It was hard to feel happiness when sadness lingered around the house hold so often. Kyle hugged her tight around the waist and continued to cry tears of joy. Mellie couldn't stop smiling and giggled as he flipped them over. He looked down at her and kissed her lips feverishly. Just as Kyle's hand was slipping up Mellie's thigh they heard a soft cry form the baby monitor.

"Josephine," Mellie groaned throwing her head back in frustration. She made her move to get up but Kyle pushed her back down and said, "Get some rest I'll take care of her." With one more kiss to her lips, he pushed of the bed and practically ran his way over to his daughter. Mellie smiled when she heard his voice through the baby monitor, "I love you Jo, I love you so so much, daddy loves you so very much. No time can stop how much love I have for you my darling girl."

And just like that reality settled back in. But just as Mellie did in the happy moments, she pushed that demon to the back of her head. It was a patient son of a bitch; sure to make it's way out again. But not today, not when Kyle just found out he was Jo's Father.

Mellie reached for the baby monitor and turned it off so she could catch a little nap, but just as she retracted back to her comfortable spot on the bed her cell phone rang from the other side of the bed. She reached for it and froze when the caller ID flashed: _Fitz._ _How does he always know when to call at exactly the wrong time?_ Mellie contemplated answering it or denying it, but their was both history and the present between them now, so she pressed the big green button.

"Hello," Mellie said softly into the phone as she pushed herself out of the bed and walked out onto the balcony they had in their master bedroom. She felt the sun hit her back as she turned to close the door quietly. The view was extraordinary that morning, the sun glowed on her garden beautifully and the pool looked ever more inviting.

"Goodmorning Mellie Ray," his voice was cheerful over the line and Mellie didn't bother to snap at him about using her nickname. At the moment she didn't want to make a big fuss about it, or make it seem like she cared. But inside it felt nice to be called that every once in a while, especially after seeing her age in the mirror.

"Goodmorning Fitz," she replied short and sweetly.

"How's Jo?" he asked taking a sip out of something, Mellie hoped it wasn't alcohol or she would surely throw a fit. But four states away Fitz was simply sipping on chocolate milk with Teddy sitting in front of him at the new dinner table.

"She is wonderful . . . a handful but she's our wonderful handful."

"That's good."

Mellie whispered a thank you and waited for Fitz to really tell her what he called for.

"Since I know all of your televisions have been thrown out the window due to TMZ, C-Span, CNN and almost any channel wanting to document your life with Kyle. By the way Ryan Seacrest did call me again. I swear he is persistent. I might have said you were looking into TLC or A&amp;E so no worries, if you really want I think A&amp;E would be a better shot for you. They have all those southern reality TV shows anyway so you'd be a big hit."

"Fitzgerald," Mellie growled rolling her eyes but snickering after she knew he was smirking on the other line. _He's trying to make me laugh I'll give him that. _Mellie leaned against the railing and didn't notice her free hand twirling her ponytail around and around her fingers.

"You know I'm kidding Mellie Ray," there it was again. That damn nickname.

"I know," she answered back softly.

"Anyways, the point was I sold my house in Vermont," Fitz said fast and high pitched into his cell phone. Mellie looked down at the greenery of her back yard then at the sky, forming shapeless clouds. She stopped twirling her hair and shook her head side to side in disbelief.

"You love that house Fitz," Mellie mumbled looking behind her to check if anyone was watching her. The blinds were still closed on the door and nothing looked different so she turned back around.

"Loved. Past tense. I bought a new one. It's quite homey actually, and smaller. I don't need all that space. It's actually a town house in California. They just renovated it, and-"

"California?! Teddy's in California? And you didn't tell me?!" Mellie scolded him over the phone.

"Don't worry Teddy is fine, the movers packed all of his and Karen's stuff properly and I threw out almost three fourths of my stuff. But yes Mellie, California. Santa Barbara actually."

"You went home," she whispered.

"I came home," he answered looking at Teddy with a chocolate mustache doing the kids version of a word search published in a local newspaper.

"Where in Santa Barbara?"

"A small complex that was once home to four very small apartments. But like I said, they renovated it."

"Where in Santa Barbara Fitz?" Mellie asked again. She thought she knew the answer but it would be ridiculous.

"Morgan Street."

Mellie's heart stopped and all Fitz heard was the rush of a small breeze on the other end of the line. She kept hold of the phone in her hand with a shaky palm, and stared at the blue Virginia sky. Fitz didn't say another word and waited for her reply.

Mellie thought about the cold apartment and the electric blanket they used to huddle underneath. She thought about the faulty lighting and sad excuse for a Christmas tree that they put up for years. She thought about the cold wooden floors and the stove that wasn't electrical but actually still had flames burning. Morgan Street flashed by her eyes in the matter of five seconds, then with a blink it was gone.

"So now we're literally shipping Teddy across the country for weekends and holidays. How could you make this decision with out discussing it with me first Fitz?!" Mellie turned cold at his pathetic gesture to get back in her good graces. To this day she remembered seeing him pledging his loyalty and respect to her while she was in a coma, but Mellie could not comprehend if that was real. If he had truly said those words to her. Flashes of her first moment waking up made their way through her head and Mellie got angry. Fitz had left, the moment she woke up he left. How dare he. After that, what she believed he said surely could not be real, right?

"You're being defensive, not about me moving, because you hated Vermont. You hated that house. You hated me in that house. You hated Karen and Teddy in that house. So what are you being cold about Mellie?"

The image of him walking out flashed one more time in her memory box and then the image of Jo ran through her mind, a long with Kyle smiling with joy at the paternity test results. "Nothing Fitz."

"Mels," he sighed.

"Where are we on Kennedy?"

"Mellie stop dodging it damn it and just tell me," Fitz said with a low growl into the phone. Scared to tick off Teddy he walked up the stairs and into his room. It was empty and cold, but it was their old apartment. He couldn't believe that the entire place where they used to live was now just his master bedroom. Fitz walked over to one of the large windows and stared into the blue California sky.

"Kyle is Jo's father. We got the DNA results back today. I just – I thought you should know since we weren't positive on that yet," Mellie rolled her head side to side and anxiously awaited his answer.

A thousand miles away, Fitz physically slouched. He didn't hate not being Jo's father but he didn't want to completely erase his possibility because it gave him reason beyond Teddy to keep talking to Mellie.

"Kyle deserves to be her father, that's amazing Mel," he finally said running his left hand through his head.

"Yah . . . he's . . . we're happy."

"Good. You deserve to be happy."

Mellie smiled slightly at that and decided it best not to tell Fitz that Kyle had stopped trying to fight cancer and would soon not be around to complete her happiness. Mellie would once again have to pick her up and this time she hoped not to go through all her stages of grief. She had a daughter to raise alongside Teddy and Karen now. She didn't want to think about how she would have to cope with Kyle's death, so she pushed it back with all her other demons. For another day darkness would rise but not today, not today.

"Mellie?" Fitz asked making sure she was still on the line.

"I'm here," she answered.

"The movers just got here so I should go," Fitz lied.

Mellie hated herself for not wanting him to hang up, "You should," she shook herself out of it.

"Kennedy by the way is taken care of. As far as the media knows she was just some crazy family member who lost her brother in war and that drove her to an emotional state of distress that caused her to shoot our family."

_Our family._

"Fitz that's not fair," Mellie began to protest how they were being cruel to Kennedy's public image.

"It was the only way Mellie," Fitz

"Why do I have a feeling Cyrus Beene helped you with this? This reeks of old Cyrus."

"He did it for you, not me. Maybe for himself also, but it's taken care of. Kennedy is gone."

Mellie blinked away the tears in her eyes and continued, "Did you hear about Clinton?"

"It's unfortunate, she was going to win."

"Reeks of dirt misogynists who don't want to see the ultimate glass ceiling broken. Ugh, it infuriates me," Mellie growled and felt her fists close with adrenaline.

"You should run, any dirt we have is public, it's not too late. Without Hillary it's one of the weakest races for presidency since the late 1990's."

"Fitz-" Mellie laughed at his crazy idea. The thought that raced through her mind everyday as First Lady had yet crossed her mind in the passed year.

"You should run Mellie. Get your feet back in politics again and make that dream you told me on the balcony a reality. Even if you lose, you will learn and run again in the next election. You've been in the senate for five years, you should run Mellie."

"I can't Fitz, not right now. I can't."

Fitz nodded and Mellie knew he did even though she couldn't see him. She just knew his body language, after twenty years she should. "Oh shit, I'm sorry your movers probably need you," Mellie said as sarcastic as she could. She rolled her eyes at his sad attempt at lying to her.

"How did you know I lied?"

"Fitz I always knew when you lied, I just decided after a while that it wasn't worth the fight," Mellie laughed.

"Fair enough Mellie Ray, fair enough."

"Bye Fitz," Mellie smiled one last time.

"Bye Mellie," he replied and then he heard the dial tone.

Mellie felt bad for enjoying the small talk with her ex-husband, but Fitz and her were always on the same level when it dealt with politics. It felt nice to not think about Kyle and cancer for a split second. And she hated that it felt nice. She hated herself for indulging in happiness someplace other than with Kyle. But Mellie was allowed to be selfish when it came to herself, so she looked out onto her back yard and relished on the idea of running for President.


	23. Diamond Rings and Old Barstools

Diamond Rings and Old Barstools

With the dusk of the day, the King family realized more time had passed. Kyle felt himself get weaker and he hated that he barely had enough strength to carry his baby girl. How did things get so bad in the matter of a week? Apparently death waited for no one, and was kind to no one. So Kyle coughed up blood for the second time that day. He heaved into the toilet and felt the dense liquid fall from his lips; it tasted like copper and salt. He was used the taste of blood in his mouth, usually from an FBI confrontation that erupted into a fistfight. Kyle wiped at his mouth and tried to spit up the remains of blood. He leaned against the marble toilet and tried to keep an ear open for when Mellie was back with Jo from the farmer's market. He stayed kneeled until another gust of it came up his throat. Kyle cringed at the sight of blood and crushed veneer, but couldn't find it in himself to flush the toilet. Maybe a part of him wanted Mellie to find her husband looking vulnerable, cold, and almost lifeless.

Kyle never thought it would end up this way. Them living a life of despair an unfortunate endings. They had their good days, when he was feeling well enough to sit on the porch swing with his daughter and Mellie. The good days where him and Mellie danced around the kitchen to _Sweet Child O' Mine _and Jo laughed at the sight of her parents looking ridiculous. The days where it felt like enough to walk the boardwalk hand in hand, and Kyle finally got to take Mellie to the shrimp house. Kyle remembered repeating her words, "Some people just aren't used to being in the spotlight. No offense," with a sly sarcastic smile as he kissed her on the KissCam at the NBA Finals game.

But then there were the bad days.

When Kyle ignored Mellie and left to God knows where in Virginia. He was already dying so he often thought why not speed up the process? Limit the casualties and get everyone moving on faster and quicker than having to watch him wither away day by day. So on the bad days Kyle found himself in a cap at a sketchy Virginia bar, where it was so foggy no one knew the other. Where there were no paparazzi hanging out to get a new scoop on the King family.

But on the really bad days, Kyle drank . . . at home.

The demons were coming at him more often than not nowadays. When he watched his daughter spit out the vegetable baby food, he pictured when she would get to try things like pizza and his homemade burgers. Every idea started off innocent and joyful, but then the demons came. Telling him _you'll never live to see your girl walk. You'll never live to see her ride a bike. You'll never scare away the first boyfriend. You'll never see her get married. _They all constantly narrated in Kyle's mind. It wasn't just one devil on his shoulders, it was ten million devils hanging around him every second of his day.

So Kyle would walk away from the family table without a word and head to the basement, where Kyle had his fridge stocked with beer. But lately it'd been stocked with much stronger things like Vodka. It'd start off with one shot, then it turned into three, and then to six. Kyle was never a huge drinker, but on his weakest days there was nothing that could stop him from the clear alcohol in his hands.

He'd turn on the old radio he kept regardless of Mellie's hopes to throw it away. It was on 100.3 the Country station, and sometimes that was a good thing. Other times misery loves company.

"KYLE!" a shrill voice rang through the bathroom. He was brought back to the present time, and it seemed like the blood just wasn't on the toilet anymore, it was on him – dripping from his mouth onto his white cotton t-shirt. Mixed with saliva the blood started to look a little brown. He wiped at it with his hands and noticed that they too were covered in blood. _So much blood, _he thought, _why is there so much blood? Did I throw up this much?_

Mellie ran over to him and her blue eyes were wide with concern. The image of Jerry on the floor flashed before her eyes and she froze. _I can't do this, _she thought, _I can't go through this again. _Mellie scooted back on the bathroom tile and felt blood on her hands. There was so much blood. _I need to call someone, I need to call 911. _She rose her hands to run them through her hair but at the sight of carbonized blood turning dark maroon she stopped once more.

Kyle threw up again and this time completely missed the toilet. His body was jolting and Mellie couldn't help but stare at him convulsing in front of her. As the blood stopped coming out from him, she shook her head form the tears wanting to explode. This is wasn't about her. This was about her husband. Her feelings didn't matter, she had to be his wife. She had to be strong for him.

Mellie crawled over behind him, and he turned with red stained teeth and tears coming down from his eyes like waterfalls, "I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry," he sobbed as his head flew into her chest. She held onto his head and heard his mumbles, "It wasn't supposed to be like this Mel, this wasn't the plan. I'm so sorry love, I am so sorry."

"Stop it, you have nothing to be sorry for!" she scolded him as held him, not wanting to let him go. The blood stained her striped navy blue and white long t-shirt dress, and the smell of copper started to reek through the bathroom. _He's losing too much blood. I need to call 911._

Kyle began to get dizzy and he knew that his lungs were having one final go around before they gave up on him. But Mellie didn't need to know that. He held onto her with his dear life and remembered the good moments, with Mellie and Jo and Kelly-Kate and his mother. His sweet girl and her beautiful brown hair, and the woman he loved. He got to love, and that was enough for him.

"Mels, I am forever grateful that you took a chance on me. I love you darling. I love you so god damn much," Kyle whispered as she held his head into her chest, "I was made for loving you babe and that's what I did. You deserved the world Mellie, never forget that you do have one of the strongest hearts in the world. If not us, then who? No one can handle life like we have, and that's why we were given it."

"Kyle stop it," Mellie started crying holding him until it physically hurt her, "I've waited so long for someone like you. I was made for loving you too, I was made for loving you babe."

Kyle felt his head get lighter and he continued to comfort Mellie even though he shouldn't have been talking with all the blood in his lungs.

"Baby I have to call an ambulance okay? We have to get you to a hospital," Mellie wiped at her tears and didn't care that she left red stains on her cheeks from his blood. He nodded slightly and Mellie let go of him, it ached her to run away form the scene and downstairs as quickly as possible to her purse. She reached inside and felt the cold metal against her hands. She shakingly dialed 911.

"This is Senator Mellie King, I need an ambulance at my house right away my husband is coughing up blood and his cancer it's just- I need an ambulance now! Now, now, now!" Mellie yelled into the phone, she was hyperventilating and she needed to go back up the stairs with a calm mind. She stuffed her phone into her back pocket and raced back up the stairs, with one quick check to make sure Jo was still asleep in her crib Mellie ran to Kyle in their master bedroom's bathroom.

He was leaning against the cabinets, and Mellie did not like that paleness of his face. Her hands couldn't stop shaking as she climbed in behind him and now her back was leaning against the sink cabinets, and his back was against her chest. Kyle sat in between her legs and Mellie ran her hands up and down his chest, trying to relax him.

"Kyle, stay awake the ambulance is coming you got to stay awake Kyle," she hushed kissing the back of his head. He relished in the feeling of being held in her arms, and he held her left hand with his right. He pulled it up to his lips and kissed her wedding finger.

"I love you so much Mellie, I love Jo so much," he whispered and he let her hand fall back on his lap. Mellie could feel his breaths getting longer and longer and Mellie scooted her way to his side so she could see his face. Still with one leg behind him, she shook his body.

"Kyle, wake up! Kyle please don't do this! Please I can't do this alone baby!"

"You'll never be alone Mellie," he said leaning forward into her chest because that was the only amount of strength he had left. Mellie wanted to yell at him to keep fighting, but it dawned on her that it was happening. The day was finally here. She didn't have time to prepare for it, she didn't see it coming and she thought that was oh too convenient. Mellie sobbed as she held Kyle in her arms, "I love you. I love you," she repeated rubbing up and down his arms, trying to comfort him as she knew he was fading faster and faster.

"I love you," Kyle croaked.

Then the Devil came in and took his breath away.

Mellie was left broken hearted.

She didn't notice as a rush of men and women broke into her bedroom and then into her bathroom. They tried to pull her away from Kyle and she screamed at them to get the fuck out of her house. They were too late. The EMT's had never seen a scene so devastating as Mellie sobbing while clutching Kyle to her body. They were covered in dried blood and tears. When was her pain going to end?

Fitz sat in the town house newly furnished, and he sipped a root beer while flipping through his cable in his master bedroom. The image of red and blue lights flashing in front of what looked like Mellie's house in Virginia caught his eyes. It was her house. Fitz put down his root beer and turned up the volume, a woman standing at the sight began to speak,

"Reports say that Senator of Virginia Mellie King's newly wedded husband who was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer has just passed away at their estate in Virginia. Sources said that Mrs. King called 911 shortly after finding her husband throwing up blood that had filled up in his lungs. The couple was found clutching on to each other in the family's bathroom and Mr. King died at approximately 6:06 PM. Our deepest regards are sent to the King and Grant family under this terrible time of distress and we are sure they are in prayer of mothers, wives, husbands, daughters, and families around the country this sad night."

Fitz's hand rose to cover his mouth and he immediately ripped the bed sheets from above him. Finding some tennis shoes to slip on he walked over to Teddy's room and shook the sleeping child from his nap. He turned clutching onto his bear and opened his eyes groggily.

"What's wrong daddy?" he asked innocently.

Fitz looked down and ran a hand threw his sons hair, "We gotta go buddy. Momma needs you. Momma needs all of us," _before she shuts down and shuts everyone out. _Fitz continued the thought in his head. He packed a small backpack of necessities for Teddy and they were headed to the first flight to Virginia. As they waited to board the plane Fitz heard the soft hum of a country song,

_It ain't like midnight and cigarette smoke. It ain't like watered down Whiskey and Coke. I guess something's just don't mix like you hope. Like me and you. And diamond rings and old barstools._

* * *

_ Thanks for keeping up with me guys. Working on the next chapter. -O.M.  
_


	24. June 15, 2019

June 15, 2019

Mellie looked at Jo in her car seat chewing on a toy Emily had given her the previous day. They had just left the hotel in Wimberley in a rental car, and Mellie had never seen such enthusiasm for a graduation. All the local shops were closed, and Mellie snarled at the sight of hundreds of cameras set up in front of the arena. Reporters were like flies around a can of coke. They were hypocritical, "We're sorry for your loss we're going to respect your privacy but how are you handling things? Where's the funeral? Who's giving the eulogy? Can we take pictures?" _NO, NO, NO you wasps. _No pun intended.

Jo laughed at the sound of the toy squeaking with a hard bite and Mellie turned her attention back to her daughter. Her eyes shined green today and Mellie wondered how that was possible, but she wasn't going to question her daughter's beauty. She dressed her seven month old in a pink dress and a head-band with a white bow on it.

Mellie sighed at the sight of reporters grabbing people for their opinions at the main entrance and Karen gently told the driver to take them to the back. The super-intendant of the high school had already set up a sly entry way for the King and Grant family, but could make no promises about keeping out reporters, parents with cameras and other tedious media recorders. This wasn't just Kelly-Kate's graduation it was four hundred and seventy five other kids graduation day too.

"We don't have to go mom, the press looks like it's going to be a hassle today-" Karen began to speak to her mother while unbuckling her seat belt as they pulled up to the back of the building.

"I have to be here, Kelly-Kate needs our support and I can't just – I won't do that to her . . . or Kyle," Mellie said unbuckling her seat as well. She was wearing a navy blue dress, not red like she had wanted months ago since it would attract too much attention. Along with her blue dress Mellie was wearing matching black heels and a black cardigan. Her pearls felt like a noose around her neck and she yearned to rip them off. It wasn't a crazy thought, she'd done it before.

"They're calling it The King's Speech mom, it's ridiculous. This is the only high school graduation that will be played live on CNN and the sad part is everyone knows why and it's ruthless. It's wrong and Kelly-Kate is already under enough stress and all the cameras will make her have a speech impediment like Colin Firth, is there any way you can stop this?"

Mellie looked at Karen whose twin blue eyes were filled with concern for her stepsister. "Don't worry honey, I did the best I could to handle it."

Mellie reached out to Karen's hand and squeezed it firmly. They all took one last breath and Mellie knocked on the window for the driver to open her door, and Karen did the same on the opposite side. Mellie quickly unbuckled Jo from her car seat and cradled her against her chest. As soon as the sight of Mellie, Karen, and Jo came into view, hiding paparazzi flocked near them and they raced inside as soon as they could.

Security practically slammed the door behind them and everyone adjusted to the settle lighting of the backstage entryway. Karen could see kids goofing around with their caps and gowns and the thought of her own graduation glimpsed through her brain. Before they could speak security led them to the "Artists Private Dressing Room" and Karen was not prepared for the lady in the white dress to be standing in the room waiting for them, android phone intact.

"Olivia," Karen smiled and walked over to hug her former step mother. Olivia embraced the twenty-two year old and Karen looked back at her mother who had Jo on the side of her hip, "You did do everything you could to handle it."

"Like I used to say, when you have a problem, get Olivia Pope on it," Mellie smiled gently and placed Jo down on a play pin the arena had set up just for the King family. She walked over to Olivia and hugged her softly and a little awkwardly, "Thank you Liv, really . . . I understand with everything . . . I just didn't know who else to call."

"Mellie it's no problem," Olivia replied back to her as the two women took their places on the couch and Karen sat on the make up chair. "I brought-"

But before Olivia could go on the door swung open and in walked a tall red-head with shining blue eyes, equipped with her pencil skirt and dark purple dress shirt. "I just witnessed a principal pull out a deflated beach ball from someone's-"

"Abby," Olivia stopped her with a small smile. Abby finally made eye contact with the two other ladies in the room and realized it wasn't just Olivia in there.

"Ma'am," Abby nodded at Mellie with a smile and then looked at Karen, "Littler ma'am."

Mellie and Karen said quiet 'Hello's' and waited for Olivia to go on.

"Abby where are we?"

"Well," Abby began walking forward until she stood next to Olivia and faced Mellie as well, "I got all of the big guns, CNN, C-Span, Karla, Couric, Good Morning America, Fox, NBC, the local news channels and even Langston to pack their bags and leave. I threatened their long lasting good relationship with Senator Mellie King would be over if any of them decided to publicize Mellie's husbands sister far more than a respectful manner."

Mellie sighed at the good news and Karen continued listening to Abby's details, "But we still have small new groups, TMZ, and all the trash media who have nothing to lose if they film this graduation. There are only two handfuls of them, but if you need me to go take a look at Kelly-Kate's speech before-"

"No," Olivia shook her head, "Huck got me a copy, and we're not touching it. It's not our place and she's a smart girl, it was . . . it's fine; we're not touching it."

Abby nodded her head and reached for a water bottle on the coffee table. You would think that this certain scenario would be more awkward for everybody, but there was a strange bond between all the women in the room. Mellie turned to Jo who was playing with the soft toys set up in her play pin and rolling on her tummy, and then back to her older daughter who also grabbed for a water bottle.

"Mellie," Olivia spoke trying to get her attention.

"Yes?" she answered.

"You will be in section 113 to the right of the main stage, you have the first and second row reserved. It will be Karen, you, Jo in you lap, and Emily to your left. I just received word that she should be here right before the graduation begins in order to dodge the left over paparazzi."

"What about security?" Mellie asked, "I hate to say it but some parents don't understand personal space and I don't want to be bothered by questions nor do I want Emily to gain any more attention than she already is."

"No problem, above you in the second row will be Jake, myself and Abby. Quinn and Huck are going to be roaming the lobbies for further safety and if any one or anything looks suspicious they will be on it." Olivia tried to slide by the mention of Jake's name, but Mellie caught onto it and rose her eyebrow at Olivia.

"Jake?" she tilted her head and smiled. Olivia rolled her eyes as Abby, Karen and Mellie looked at her with girlish tell all smiles. Sometimes these ladies were so overwhelmed with higher matters that they forgot the giggles and fun that came along with being women.

"Yes Jake, he's on his way with your mother-in-law as we speak, so she is in good hands."

"Alright," Mellie smiled and then reached over for Olivia's hand, "Thank you Olivia."

"It's really no problem Mellie," she shook her head back and forth and then raised her eyes to look between Karen and Mellie, "remember there are going to be reporters disguised as parents who will be using there Canon's and Nikons to take photos of you. The school district's public relations office will probably get some film and photos of you during the commencement ceremony as well. Parents sitting above and in the sections next to you will be holding their iPhones and Galaxies just to get a snap of you. The principal, student council president, superintendent, and probably salutatorian will reference your presence. So just remember to smile and be neutral, but you are free to react however to Kelly-Kate's speech."

With that last final piece of information there was a quiet knock on the door and Quinn stuck her head in, "The high school band is ten minutes from playing that awful and repetitive Pomp and Circumstance Graduation March song, so-"

"Quinn," Olivia said smiling and shaking her head. There were no better people to keep company with than the overzealous O.P.A.

Quinn laughed, "We should get going, now Liv."

Olivia stood up, which signaled everyone else to stand up as well and fix their dress from the wrinkles and Mellie walked over to pick up Jo. She felt a little nervousness in her heart but knew that no matter where she went Kyle would always be with her for strength. Quinn and Olivia led the way to the stadium seats, and Mellie, Karen and Abby followed behind. Emily had just entered the back stage exit door with Jake, who kissed Olivia's cheek upon arrival making her blush. Emily quickly made her way over to her family and took Jo from Mellie's hip instinctively and kissed everyone's cheeks hello. She was wearing a khaki dress and black flats, with a matching leather black belt above her waist.

"She couldn't sleep last night," Emily said to Mellie as they made their way down a hallway. Mellie turned to look at her mother-in-law with pursed lips. "I heard her pacing when I went to bed at one in the morning and when I woke up at five this morning she was still walking around her room."

"She just has nerves Emily, 'Mellie comforted her with a fake smile.

"She didn't eat this morning either, I even made her favorite Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes."

"Nerves Emily," Mellie whispered as the turned into the section labeled 113. The sound of parents yelling and talking in general hit the ear buds of the Grant and King family. Suddenly Mellie had a strike of fear run through her as they were walking through the tunnel, _Teddy!_ But before she could let it get out of hand she remembered that he was still in California with his father. Since his move to California and the arrival of Mellie's newborn child, Teddy wasn't getting as much attention as he wanted form his mother, so they felt it was easier to have him live with dad for a while. It wasn't right and Mellie knew this, but with the death of Kyle everything was never going to be natural. I mean for Christ's sake she had called her ex-husbands second wife for help.

Mellie finally got a glimpse of the main stage set up for the graduation. It was decorated in red and white balloon arcs, along with a huge poster on the background with a huge red rattle-snake and big silver letters that read "Wimberley Class of 2019". All decorations on the stage and floor seats were donated and paid for by CNN, who was now not in the building thanks to Olivia Pope.

Just as she had said Mellie sat on the first row with Jo on her lap, Emily at her left side and Karen on her right. Directly behind her sat Olivia Pope, to her right was Jake and to her left was Abby. Also just as Olivia had forecasted many parents busted out their phones and began snapping pictures of the famous political family. One obnoxious teenager with a tribal band tattoo around his left bicep tried climbing over the section to get a selfie with the family and Jake was quick to whisper threatening things into his ear and the douche bag practically ran away. Once disrespectful people saw the family was not to be messed with, the ship was smooth sailing.

Mellie tried to breath deeply as families even across the entire arena were staring directly at her. She was not ready for this, she was definitely not ready for this huge event but it had to be done. Suddenly the graduation march song blared from the band and everyone stood up for the graduates to make their entry way onto the rows of seats situated for them. But there were four empty chairs on the stage for the Valedictorian, Salutatorian, Student Council President, and Senior Class President.

Emily and Mellie's hearts soared as the person to lead the line of graduating students was Kelly-Kate. Her hair was down in loose waves, and her makeup was beautiful. Simple natural eye shadow, some mascara and rose lipstick. She had on a DAP sash, the National Honor Society sash, and about three different colored cords, and the single medallion for graduation. Kelly-Kate had done work in high school.

"Joseph and Kyle would be so proud," Emily croaked and tried to hold onto her tears, the aching in her chest was forever permanent. Mellie nodded with her chin held high and Jo looked around at the arena full of people clapping for their children. As Kelly-Kate made her way around the seats and passed by her family, she waved at them with a large smile. _She's a strong girl like her brother. She will be just fine. _

As they watched Kelly-Kate take her place on stage, they all sat down. Jo reached for her grandma and Emily immediately snatched her from Mellie's lap. The graduation march droned on and on, and everyone waited for the four hundred and seventy five student to take their seats. Suddenly Mellie heard a small ruckus behind her and it was evident that the whispers had picked up momentum.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Karen asked looking at a well groomed Fitz in a pinstripe suit, white dress shirt and maroon tie. Teddy was holding onto his hand wearing khakis, and a light blue dress shirt. Fitz immediately looked at Karen with his big green eyes apologetically, "Teddy insisted we come . . . and so did I but I was stopped at the main entrance by one of O.P.A's scary looking henchmen," with that last remark he looked at Olivia who shook her head and simply looked the other way rolling her eyes.

"Luckily," Fitz continued, "being the ex-President of the United States gets you passed such henchmen if you bring your own body guards."

Olivia looked back at him, "You shouldn't be here. I kept you out for a reason, it looks questionable on Mellie's part."

"I'm the father of her children and-"

"It. Looks. Questionable. Fitzgerald." Olivia snapped at him sharply word by word. Jake looked straight ahead and then at Olivia, if she needed him to do anything drastic he would. "It's too late," Olivia said reading Jake's mind, "he's already here," she spoke up to Karen and Mellie, "so now we make it look like we knew he was coming. Smile at him and greet him," Olivia said getting up and talking through her fake grin. Karen and Mellie stood up to welcome Fitz with smiles and kisses on the cheek.

As Fitz got around Karen and in front of Mellie, they made eyes contact and Fitz was happy to see her so close to him again. He leaned in and Mellie hissed in his ear through a clenched smile, "Very inappropriate."

"I missed you too," Fitz whispered in her ear and they exchanged a brief hug. He got to Emily and couldn't tell whether she was angry or indifferent about seeing him at her daughter's graduation. But she to learned to smile and brush cheeks with him politely. Fitz pinched Jo's cheeks, and kissed her forehead. Mellie couldn't help but stare at his interactions with Jo. She realized it wouldn't look good if camera's caught her looking at Fitz with her daughter so she turned her attention to Teddy who decided it was his rightful place on Mellie's lap as they sat back down. Fitz unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat to the right of Karen.

They were all situated and Olivia Pope had managed to diffuse the situation and make everyone come out on top. She was already thinking about ways to leak to the press that Fitz's was there as moral support for his children, ex-wife and former U.S. Army sniper and FBI Special Agent Kyle King. Sources would say that Kelly-Kate had met Fitz before and was inspired by him and she personally asked him to attend her graduation. Brilliant, Olivia could make this work, she always did.

The presentation of the flags started and the commencement ceremony officially began. Of course, just as predicted the principal and superintendent and salutatorian had mentioned how "awesome but unfortunate" it was to have the former president and first lady of the United States attending the graduation, and they gave their deepest regards for Kyle King. Mellie had nodded her head and smiled sadly at their words. Then the time came for Kelly-Kate's valedictorian speech.

Mellie was nervous for her sister-in-law, but at the perfect moment Teddy grabbed his mothers hand and Mellie felt a wave of calmness take over her. Kelly-Kate stood up as the principal announced her achievements and took the podium.

She cleared her throat; looked up at the ceiling then at her family, smiled and then began her Valedictorian address.

"I was told that this is being called The King's Speech . . . unfortunately that's a lot to live up to. Out of all the movies Colin Firth has been in I get to compete against the one nominated for over twenty accommodations. I mean he literally one an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for that movie. How am I supposed to live up to that? No thank you, I'll take my chances at Mamma Mia 2," laughing erupted through the audience, _well she's taking the issues head on and making them relatable, good job Kelly-Kate, _Mellie thought.

"Today isn't about me though, it's about us. This day is about every single one of us. Over four billion people in the world wake up everyday and live a different life, when you think about it – it's actually insane. So today, all four hundred and seventy five of us got out of bed, put on our ironed gown – thanks to our mothers cause let's face it we won't learn to do laundry or iron until college actually begins –" another snicker of laughter, "we placed our caps on our head and couldn't wait for the day to begin. We have finally finished the last lap around the mile run that has been high school and we are here at the finish line!"

"Now I want you to think about yourself now, and think about the days you felt like nothing was going right and the days you felt like everything was going right. You didn't know what the future had in mind, but you knew that you wanted to advance there. There is not a single person in the world that could be you, except for you. So on this day give yourself credit for not bowing out of Mr. Q's AP Calculus class, for not giving up when the score on the football board read 21 – 0 against cross town rivals at halftime during the first play off game, when we came to win it back by 30-28 in overtime," of course the crowd erupted for Texas high school football, "give yourself credit for finishing your performance at pigskin even when the rain started to pour during your ten minutes of show time," the bands drum lime hit a couple of beats and several students cheered at that as well.

"I've seen it with my own eyes guys, we are capable of greatness. We have reached levels of greatness already, and the thing is we're just at the beginning. Our potential has just begun and it's up to you to keep the fire going. Don't complain and talk about things you hate, continue to thrive for things you love and I guarantee you will come out on top," Kelly-Kate laughed as she looked at the sea of students before her, "Quoted by famous William Shakespeare enthusiast Misses V, There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio!"

Mellie looked at Kelly wave at a young teacher in the first row. _She is definitely giving a speech alright. _

"To add to my minimum capacity of brainy quotes needed in this address I will leave you with something a special man didn't tell me, but told my brother who then relayed the message on to me every time I wanted to quit something I loved. It goes like this: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. As I say these words I can hear my brothers voice in my head, he will forever be the voice used by my subconscious," Kelly-Kate's voice cracked on the last syllable and Mellie felt her throat tighten up.

"Now um- I'm going to plagiarize this next part a little bit partly because it's my favorite speech of all time and partly because if Matthew McConaughey ever sees this that would be alright, alright, alright."

Mellie and everybody in her section couldn't help but laugh at Kelly's transition, "There's three things that also keep me going day by day. It's one, some one to look up to. Two, some one to thank and three someone to chase. Now first and foremost, I have been blessed with the grace of God for my life and I give him gratitude where it's due. I know that he has plans for me above my highest imagination and I often give him the benefit of the doubt. Things will work out because they always have, and I have no doubt in my mind that they will continue to do so."

"The look on your faces say; how can she be so optimistic? Considering the fact that she lost her father and brother all before she turned nineteen. Well that leads me to number two, because I have people to thank for my well being. Thank you dad, who I am sure is looking down on me with a slice of my mother's pecan pie and an Arlington Rangers baseball cap on. Although you were only here for a small portion of my life I am forever impacted by you because you taught Kyle how to respect himself and mother how to love herself and they in turn showed me."

"Thank you mom, for never pretending to be someone you are not. Thank you for being strict even when I thought not being able to spend more than thirty dollars at a store was torture and I pledged to protest my point of view by hiding in the dressing rooms and scaring you half to death. Thank you for always pushing me to be someone I wanted to be. This next person probably has no idea in the world why I would thank her but in the short burst of time that she entered my life, I have never seen a woman with the same strength as my own mother . . . until now."

Kelly-Kate turned to look at Mellie and smiled, "Thank you Mellie, for never failing to be truthful with yourself. Thank you for showing me that 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light', I'm not sure where that's from, either J.K. Rowling or Karen."

Karen laughed and Mellie held her oldest daughters hands, "Now," Kelly-Kate paused, "time for the part everyone has been telling me how to say or more than not how not to say."

"So here we go TMZ this is for you since you feel the need to show my vulnerability to the world, I'll give it to you on a platter," Kelly-Kate stated with words like venom and tears threating her eyes, "Every man at some point in his life, is going to lose a battle. He's going to fight and he's going to lose. Life is so very fragile, and we're all vulnerable, and we all at some point in our lives will fall. My brother," Kelly-Kate paused to calm her breath, and blink away the water in her eyes, "My brother died of lung cancer on May 22, 2019. I'm happy to say he died in the arms of someone who loved him very much."

Karen firmly squeezed her mothers hand, and Mellie felt tears strain down her cheeks at the memory of that fateful day.

"Kyle is my hero, and he will forever be the person I chase in life, until I am far down the winding road and angels come for me too. Kyle sent me money across sea's to pay for a camera I didn't even know I wanted yet, but he knew. Kyle bought me my first volleyball that I didn't even know how to use, but he did. Kyle taught me that time can heal everything. He showed me that I didn't need my father in the flesh because he was living and breathing through us both. Kyle showed me that it is never too late to fall in love, and it is never too late to forgive."

Kelly-Kate wiped at her tears and smiled at the audience, "Kyle showed me to stay truthful to myself. To never live in situations that make me feel inferior, because no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. I will miss my brother until I am able to see him again. But every day, every hour, and every minute I will chase him."

"So to whoever or whatever it is your chasing Class of 2019, never forget it. That's what makes us who we are, that's what drives us, that's what makes us great. I have faith in us. Have faith in yourself and charge into unknown!"

"_Half a league, half a league,_

_Half a league onward,_

_All in the valley of Death_

_Rode the six hundred._

_"Forward, the Light Brigade!_

_"Charge for the guns!" he said:_

_Into the valley of Death_

_Rode the six hundred._

_"Forward, the Light Brigade!"_

_Was there a man dismay'd?_

_Not tho' the soldier knew_

_Someone had blunder'd:_

_Theirs not to make reply,_

_Theirs not to reason why,_

_Theirs but to do and die:_

_Into the valley of Death_

_Rode the six hundred._

_When can their glory fade?_

_O the wild charge they made!_

_All the world wondered._

_Honor the charge they made,_

_Honor the Light Brigade,_

_Noble six hundred._"

Kelly-Kate finished her last brainy quote of the evening and said, "The noble four hundred and seventy five." With that she walked away from the podium and Karen was the first to stand up from her chair and clap, then Mellie, and the whole arena roared with cheer. Fitz looked at Kelly-Kate with awe at how such excellent words could be fit together by an eighteen-year-old student. Mellie held Teddy on her hip and cheered for Kelly-Kate as single tears rolled down her cheeks.

Abby turned to Olivia with wide eyes as she clapped, "You didn't touch that?"

"I did not touch that," Olivia smiled and watched as the arena roared. She was sure the Internet was breaking.

"Well hello King 2040," Abby looked back at Kelly-Kate.

"Abby!" Olivia laughed shaking her head side to side. Olivia couldn't imagine that politics could exist when she was gone, in that moment everything felt as if time stood still.

Emily couldn't believe the applause that Kelly-Kate was receiving, and she knew that Joseph and Kyle were beaming from heaven above. She was sure that Kelly-Kate had gone far over her time limit but she doubted that anyone was complaining. The roars finally dialed down and it was time for the diplomas to be given.

Kelly-Kate was the first to receive hers amongst the class and she lifted it up for her family to see. Emily tried taking pictures with her iPhone as did Mellie. But once they saw the terrible quality of zooming in far too much they decided it was best to just wait until the ceremony was over.

An hour later the principal closed the ceremony with a prayer, and officially graduated the students by telling them to switch the tassel to the opposite side of their cap. One moment struck and suddenly all the caps were flying in the air. It was a successful graduation for Wimberley.

Kelly-Kate was allowed to stay with her family inside as everyone was escorted out of the arena. As soon as she was given the go she raced to her mom and threw her arms around her. The same went for Mellie and Karen and even Teddy and Jo. When she saw Fitz, Kelly-Kate stuck out her hand and he said, "Well where were you during my election?"

"Watching you talk! People have to get inspired from somewhere," Kelly-Kate laughed as her cheeks turned bright red. Mellie grinned at the smiles, compliments and playfulness being tossed out like free candies. She also noticed that every few seconds Fitz made eyes at her, but she tried to unnoticed that fact.

Emily took pictures of everyone; even Olivia, Jake and Abby were included in the photos. Huck and Quinn couldn't be found and no one wanted to go looking for them, Abby assured them for good reason. Mellie had a quick chat with Olivia about neutralizing the Fitz situation and Olivia vowed she already had it covered. With one last thanks, Mellie bid O.P.A. a farewell and a see you again. The sight of Olivia and Jake holding hands publicly made Mellie strangely happy.

It was barely three o' clock in the afternoon and the dinner reservations for Kelly-Kate weren't set until seven that night. So Emily took Kelly-Kate back home, Karen tagging along like a loyal stepsister and best friend. Leaving Mellie and Fitz with Jo and Teddy.

Mellie awkwardly told Fitz she should take the kids back to her hotel room, and rushed away from him as fast as her feet would let her. She felt safe in the back of her rental Land Rover, with Jo in her car seat and Teddy in a booster seat. Mellie felt guilty for being squeamish around Fitz, she felt terrible for having remembered the feeling of his arms around her as she sobbed on her couch. She didn't remember speaking words to Fitz, all she remembered was crying until it hurt. Then Karen came and held her, and then Kelly-Kate.

As their Land Rover pulled up to the Hilton, the driver opened her door and this time she detached the entire baby car seat and carried it in her right hand and held Teddy's hand with her left hand. Perfect "Momma Mellie" photo for the photographers hanging around the bushes.

She took the elevator up to the highest floor, where there was only two suites and entered the one to the right of the short hallway. Teddy found his way onto the couch and before Mellie could tell him otherwise he knocked out cold. Jo cried for food and after being fed her milk, she went to sleep as well.

Just as Mellie was climbing into bed there was a knock at her door. _Ugh what do people want form me?!_ She pushed herself off the edge of the bed and walked slowly to the suite door. Not even bothering to check the peep hole she swung it open and immediately pulled the tall man inside her room.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" she hissed at him, "someone could see you and then I'll be harassed with a bunch of questions."

"I am in the opposite suite," Fitz said pulling away from her tight grasp on his forearms. He was still wearing the charming suit and Mellie hated that she liked him in it.

She backed away from him and ran a hand through her hair, "Fitz, stop. This is ridiculous, you can't just come here thinking that everything you do can be justified with your silly ambition to gain my heart."

Fitz walked towards her, "It's not silly Mellie."

"It is silly! It is silly and stupid and I thought I married a smart man my first go around at marriage."

Fitz saw the fear in her eyes and once again took a step towards her. He ran his hands up her cheeks and into the back of her head. Mellie looked at him with deep blue eyes and he could see her lip quivering. She brought her hand up to his own on her cheek and whispered, "It's too soon."

Fits shook his head slightly side to side and backed her up against a random column used for design in the hotel suite. Her back hit the marble and Mellie felt her heart ache, "I said it's too soon!" she hissed at him pulling away from his touch as if she had been burned. "Do you not remember?" she attacked him with a scowl he hadn't seen in over four years. "Do you not remember me describing the blood on him that night, the moment when I stopped feeling his heart beat as he laid in MY FUCKING ARMS? Do you not remember that I lost the only man who has ever loved me most ardently?! I lost my husband Fitz. So when you come in here thinking you're going to save me from myself, you need to realize that I don't need you to save me! I will save myself."

Fitz watched her as she whispered these harsh words at him, and he knew that he was pushing his luck with it barely hitting the one month mark. "Mellie I just want to help," he whispered looking down at the floor with a devastated feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"It's too soon for you too help Fitz. So just please . . ." Mellie croaked, "just please go." With that she hid her face from him and wiped at her tears as she pushed passed his figure. He tried to grab onto her wrist as she floated passed him, but with one fierce shake of her arm she continued into her bedroom.

* * *

_Patience is a great friend. Sometimes. - O.M._


	25. No More Lies

_INCREDIBLY SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. I had writers block and I went on vacation, but excuses are just excuses! This chapter gave me butterflies soooooo enjoy!_

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

No More Lies

The wind blew gently on the warm Virginia morning. Mellie stood outside on her balcony drinking a cup of hazelnut coffee, thanks to her very easy Keurig. She watched as men in jumpsuits set up the stage for tonights events in her backyard. If she did say so herself it was going to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest Fourth of July parties held tonight. She couldn't exactly steal shine away from the White House, so she tried to be a little bit more brazen.

There was going to be cotton candy, ice cream trucks, cookie platters, funnel cakes, dunking booths, a basketball and volleyball court, and even a carousel. Mellie brought out the big guns for tonights special event. She kept herself busy with it, because if Mellie had copious time to think she would shut down. When she found herself thinking about anything but work or her family Mellie became stressed and numb. So the best thing was to keep busy at all times.

She took one last gulp of caffeine and walked back inside her house. She was still wearing her pajamas, and decided right now she should at least put on decent clothes to help the decorators and everybody else . . . although she had already hired somebody to do all of it she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Mellie placed the already cool coffee on one of her shelves and walked over to her closet. She didn't dare looked at the untouched left side where Kyle's suits, dress shirts, pants, and regular shirts hung. His drawers, ties, belts, and shoes had not been moved either. Mellie hadn't gotten that far since he passed almost two moths ago. _The best way to grieve is to not do it, s_he thought in her head constantly before finding herself clutching onto an old Texas Rangers T-shirt she religiously held every night because it still smelled like him. Even right now it lay on her bed, a little damp from her tears probably. Mellie continued to spray his cologne on it every two weeks. But it was getting easier, the waves were calming.

She chose white shorts, and a striped black and white shirt. She slipped on black Tory Burch sandals and made her way over to the bathroom. Her eyes for once didn't have terrible bags, so that was a major difference. She splashed water on her face, and an image of Kyle by the Frio River throwing Kelly-Kate in appeared in her mind, she forced her eyes open trying to gain sense of her true surroundings. Slowly she opened her mirror cabinet, and grabbed one of the medications for some anxiety that had happened a couple of weeks after Kyle's death. She twisted open the white cap and poured two white pills on her hands, without a second thought . . . or water . . . she threw them in her mouth and swallowed them quickly. Mellie shook her head and when she closed the mirror cabinet, she yelped at the sight of Kyle behind her. He was in her favorite army green v-neck and she saw his tattoo peeking out from under his sleeves. Mellie closed her eyes and grabbed onto the counter with a grip so hard you could see her veins pulsing through the top of her hands. She shook her head and tried to breath deeply, until someone called from the door of her master bedroom.

"Mrs. King, Karen and Kelly-Kate just arrived from the airport," her nanny said calmly. Yes, Mellie had gotten a nanny after Kyle died, and she felt terrible about it but she had to get back to work and Kyle was no longer here to help out.

"Okay, I'll be down right now," she answered with a wary voice. Quickly she tied her hair into a ponytail, put on some tinted moisturizer a little mascara and lip balm and Mellie headed downstairs. Karen and Kelly-Kate were sitting in the living room eating some mixed dark chocolate covered berries with granola from Brookside in some large bag clearly bought at Costco. At the sight she rolled her eyes, "Those things are almost twelve dollars a bag!"

"But they're sooooo good!" Karen groaned as she stuck another one in her mouth. Kelly-Kate just nodded enthusiastically while she chewed on about three of them.

"Well when you girl want, please take your bags up to the guest room, you'll be sharing which I don't think you'll find a problem since the bed is King sized and it has its on private bathroom. Also, music – please not too loud, Jo is right next door and we would like for her to sleep occasionally," Mellie explained using her hands as she always did when explaining plans.

Karen nodded and then asked, "So who's performing tonight?"

Mellie rose her eyebrow, "Why do you think I got anyone to sing for the party?"

"There a huge stage, with a giant LED screen just waiting to be used, and tons of lights mom . . . someone has got to be coming to this thing," Karen continued as she stuffed her mouth with more chocolates.

Mellie contemplated telling the girls who was coming but decided she's rather they be a little prepared, "I got Taylor Swift."

Karen and Kelly-Kate both looked at Mellie with huge eyes and stopped chewing the food in their mouths. Both were at a loss for words and Mellie laughed, "I'll take that as a good thing." They both nodded wordlessly.

Karen swallowed, "Is dad dropping off Teddy?"

Mellie suddenly felt her lungs tighten, and she tried to acted relaxed, "Yes they'll be here around five to get ready for the party. I think their flight get's in at four thirty."

"Oh so dad's not going to the bay to watch fireworks back in California?"

"Umm no, I mean he had to bring Teddy so I just told him he could stay-"

"Cool, we are going to go finish season seven of _Parks &amp; Recreation_ and then we'll get ready," Karen smiled grabbing her duffel bag and Kelly-Kate followed her motions.

"Check with me about your outfits before anything please, there will be press," Mellie said with a smile as both "daughters" (Kelly-Kate was so much younger than her that she thought of her more as that then her sister in law). Karen nodded rolling her eyes, as her mother kissed her right temple as she passed by. Mellie also kissed Kelly-Kate's right temple on her way to the stairs, before climbing the first step Kelly-Kate turned, "thank you for letting me come."

Mellie nodded with a side smirk, and then turned to walk out the front door. After hours of making sure everything was going according to plan, eating lunch and playing with Jo, she finally looked for the time. _Are you serious it's already four o'clock? _She walked outside for one final check of the place. It looked perfect! _Today is the day._

As she made her way from the back yard over to the front, she saw a black town car pulling up her driveway. Her stomach automatically felt a little queasy. She knew who it was and she hadn't seen him since Kelly-Kate's graduation day. Mellie took a deep breath and walked slowly to the front porch steps waiting for the driver to let the passengers out of the car. He finally came around and opened the door.

Teddy came running out and latched onto his mothers leg, "Mom, I missed you!"

"I missed you too buddy," Mellie smiled bending down to hug the little boy who had grown another inch since she had seen him. He was wearing black Nike basketball shorts and a neon orange shirt that said "Just Do It." Before anything he rushed inside screaming "JOOOOOOOO!"

Mellie watched her son almost rip over the foyer and couldn't help but laugh a little, she ran a hand through the top of her head and looked at the man climbing awkwardly out of the back seat. His long legs always served a slight problem. He was wearing a light blue polo and khaki shorts. His hair was a bit longer then she remembered, but she did not mind the curls at all. They were one of her favorite parts about him. He had a brown duffel bag in his left hand and smiled wide when he caught sight of Mellie. His green eye shined in the sun and she felt herself catch her breath.

"And that is why I keep him in bright colors, so you can always pick him out from the crowd," he said walking with his shoulders back, and Mellie swore he had started working out a little more because the veins in his forearms were more ardent. She leaned against a tall white pillar with crossed arms and rolled her eyes smiling. He approached her and Mellie suddenly regretted the ability she gave him to back her up into something inescapable.

Mellie didn't move when he came into close proximity of her body and lightly touched her waist with his right hand as he kissed her cheek, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. You look . . . very tan," she tilted her head to the side and they both laughed gently. "You look good Fitz," she added softly and then awkwardly led him inside the house, arms still crossed in front of her.

* * *

Kelly-Kate and Karen stared down at Fitz and Mellie from their room on the second floor directly above the living room. He had just leaned in to kiss her cheek, but Mellie stayed still against the pillar. They watched as both adults laughed lightly and Kelly-Kate asked, "Do you think Mellie still loves him?"

Karen looked up at her and pursed her lips, looking just like her mother, "I actually don't know, I mean they were married for twenty years, but after everything they did to each other I don't think that will ever be normal again. Plus-"

"No, I didn't ask if you think they will get back together, I asked if you think she still loves him?" Kelly-Kate shook her head side to side and continued to watch the two adults walk inside the house. Karen moved away form the window and continued unpacking.

"I don't know. I can never tell with my mom, she's too good at hiding her true feelings. It wasn't until Jerry died that her and I actually started bonding. Plus I don't think she'd do that to Kyle," Karen paused and looked at Kelly-Kate, "see I know she loved him and she still really misses him."

Kelly-Kate nodded slowly also moving away from the window, "He still loves her . . . Your dad I mean."

"My dad loved her. Hated her. Loved her. Loved Olivia. Hated Olivia. Hated my mom again. Now he seems to love her, but I try not to think about it because by the end of anything one of them will ruin it."

Kelly-Kate nodded and started unpacking her things as well.

"Would you be mad?" Karen asked suddenly.

Kelly-Kate's head popped up and her face turned pink, "What?"

"Would you be mad if my parents got back together after you know . . . Kyle?"

Kelly-Kate tried to think of a suitable answer but was surprised when Fitz himself popped into their room, Mellie a step behind him. "Hey girls," he waved and Karen walked over to give her dad a hug. Kelly-Kate followed behind her with a grin plastered on her face.

"I'll be across the hall so please . . . just no Justin Bieber or rap. Anything but rap," Fitz threw his head back in fake exasperation.

"No rap dad," Karen laughed and walked back over to the bed. Mellie smiled and stood silently against the doorframe, enjoying the interaction between all of them.

"Kelly-Kate, always a pleasure. Have we decided where we're headed this fall?" Fitz asked smiling down at Kelly-Kate. Such a well-groomed politician this man, but he also genuinely cared about Kelly-Kate's future.

"Yes, I am actually going to Texas A&amp;M in College Station," she answered with a wide smile and proceeded to throw a thumbs up.

"BOOOOOOOOO," Karen said from behind them "thumbs down please."

Kelly-Kate rolled her eyes and laughed, "Shutup, T.U."

"You're going to be an Aggie?!" Fitz chuckled running a hand through his curls, and then looked back at Mellie with surprised eyes.

She nodded at him smiling, "I know! A house divided." Mellie kept her interactions short with Fitz, she felt it was her duty in front of Kelly-Kate and Karen for some odd reason. She knew him coming could either end in a good way or a bad one. He hadn't made any moves on her since their awkward encounter at the hotel about a month ago, so Mellie hoped he wouldn't try anything here. But of course some of her knew he would, and an even smaller part of her wanted him to, and the micro part of her wanted to be able to respond. But every time she pictured being in love with Fitz again, Kyle popped up in her mind, and she knew what it felt like to be the forgotten one. She wouldn't let Kyle be the forgotten one. Regardless of the place he now resided.

Fitz shook his head, "Texas . . . it's not even a part of this planet."

"Less drama then D.C. I'll tell you that dad," Karen mumbled as she tucked clothes in a drawer. The room got silent and Karen automatically regretted her words. Fitz and Mellie left the girls to finish unpacking, to begin getting ready, and Mellie showed him to the room at the end of the hall next to her master bedroom. It was a small guest room, but it had a balcony just like Mellie's master bedroom. There was actually only about ten feet of brick separating the two balconies.

"This place is beautiful, why have I never been deep in this house?" Fitz looked around and placed his duffel bag down on the queen-sized bed.

"Because there was no reason for you to," Mellie answered watching him explore the cream colored room with dark green accents. His mouth went into a straight line and he shrugged, _true_. Fitz's eyes finally found the French doors leading to the small balcony that would over look tonight's main stage. With a little push from his hands, the doors swung open and the sun burst into the room. He made his way out onto the terrace and Mellie pursued him slowly.

Fitz turned around and leaned back on the railing while looking at Mellie, "I have to say for a city boy, I sure could live in this house."

Mellie shook her head and kept her distance from her former husband, "You'd hate living in this house."

"What makes you think that?"

"It would remind you of Vermont . . . it would remind you of everything you wanted . . . everything you gave up for Vermont . . . and everything you lost after you finally got what you assumed you wanted so badly," Mellie smiled while she tilted her head and her blue eyes gleamed with fervor. She didn't know where this attitude within her came from, there were still some parts of Mellie that felt the need to remind Fitz of the things he had done to her and their family.

Fitz was taken back a little by her sudden change in tone, but he couldn't say that he was completely surprised. Mellie always had a way of putting up a wall in front of her most vulnerable areas at her weakest times. She did this so no one but herself could touch them, if no one could even get near them or see them, these vulnerabilities could not be used against her.

Fitz's posture changed automatically, he leaned forward and put his pockets in his hands looking down at his shoes and shaking his head slowly back and forth. With a deep breath he let the comment slide and looked back up at Mellie, "What color are you wearing tonight?"

"What?" her eyes widened in surprise. Where had that come from? Mellie had always been the one asking what he wanted to wear in order to color coordinate, but now the tables have turned.

"What color or colors are you wearing Mellie? It's your big party so I assume you are going to be dressed up?"

Mellie lifted her chin up at him and paused with pursed lips before she answered confidently, "I'm wearing red."

Fitz rose his eyebrow and took his hands out of his pockets and crossed them in front of his chest, "What are you planning on doing tonight?"

Mellie straightened up and stepped back at his words, "What do you mean?"

"You only wear red when you're being extremely in control of a situation, you only wear red when you want to make a presence," Fitz stated squinting his eyes, looking very pompous.

"How did you-"

"We were married for twenty years," Fitz started but Mellie cut him off slyly.

"We were also at war for ten," she shook her head and grimaced.

Fitz took one confident step forward and continued with his interrogation, "Mellie wears red when Mellie feels powerful, Mellie wears red when Mellie also needs strength, Mellie wears red as her armor, it's Mellie's Wonder Woman outfit-"

"Mellie is right here so stop speaking to me in third person," she uncrossed her arms and put up both of her palms open handed facing him, signaling Fitz to stop talking. He let his shoulders fall signaling his white flag, but continued to look at her with his hypnotizing green eyes. She began to feel uncomfortable and started fidgeting with the rings on her wedding finger.

Mellie was debating whether to tell him or not, he was going to be there tonight for the big announcement anyway, but he continued to stare at her with the sunshine only on his side, persuading her lips to speak the news. Mellie hastily ran a hand through the top of her head. She regretted wearing a ponytail because it felt like it was pulling at every single strand of hair right now.

"I-" she started but quickly closed her mouth, why was this so hard for her? Was it Fitz? Was she afraid to tell Fitz one of the most important things she has ever said to him? "Turn around," she waved her right hand at him. He looked at her with a scrunch of his nose and eyebrows curved inward. "Turn around, look out at the backyard, just don't look at me," she pleaded him gently, and tried not to bite her nails from anxiety.

Fitz reluctantly did as he was told and slowly turned around to face the greenery.

Without a signal or hesitation Mellie practically yelled out, "I'm announcing my presidential run tonight."

_There I said it. It's out. I just had to do it. _Mellie awaited his answer and started to feel queasy when Fitz stared off into the countryside still very silent. The wind tickled his curls and she wanted to be anywhere but there at the moment.

"Mellie," he sighed rubbing a hand over his face and turning around with his signature frown. Fitz stood with his left arm crossed over his abdomen and right hand prompting his chin up to look at her. One finger crossed over his mouth as he stared at her with concern in his eyes. Mellie's mouth dropped open, and she couldn't believe this was his expression. She instantly regretted telling him of her plan. The reason why she was even throwing this stupid Fourth of July carnival. It was all a huge set up for the main event! Mellie running for President.

"You don't-" she spoke softly and took another step back away from him, "you don't believe in me. This whole time you didn't even think I had a chance," she shook her head as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"No! I never said that!" Fitz automatically shook of his posture and approached Mellie, but she stuck her right hand out in front of her to stop him from coming any closer, the moment his chest hit her palm she retracted it back to her stomach.

Mellie suddenly felt very angry, "You were the one who told me I should run in this pool! You said the timing was never better!"

Fitz looked at her and said as calmly as he could, "That was when-"

"What when Kyle was still alive? When you knew you didn't have a chance?" Mellie attacked Fitz head on, "But now that I DO want to run for President and Kyle is DEAD, you can't be seen as anything but a supporter because if we were caught dating or seen together on any occasion that even looked the slightest improper, I'd lose and I'd get called a slut all over the tabloids. If I run for President the ridiculous dream you have of me and you somehow being in a normal relationship again is officially ruined. You think that-"

"YOU CAN'T RUN ALONE," Fitz growled at her so violently that Mellie jumped at the sound of his harsh voice ripping through her ears. He grabbed her arm and pulled her outside to the balcony, practically throwing her against the railing and closing the French doors behind him quickly. He knew they were going to begin yelling and he didn't want Karen, Jo or Kelly-Kate to bear witness.

"You had Kyle, Mellie! Yes I said that you should run when you had Kyle because America does not elect a single woman, America does not even begin to think of electing a single man into that house!"

"You are being ridiculous-"

"The minute you've got a single public official you have all of the tabloids and entertainment news covering your personal life! No one is going to give a damn about what issues you stand for when all they can think about is why you're dating or even running for president when you should be grieving!"

"America is behind me right now Fitz, I have the support of women and soldiers-"

"It's going to look like a political move Mellie! It's going to look like you didn't give a shit about Kyle if you run for President! Although you are depicted as a widower, your advisors will still struggle over how to cope with the non-traditional image of a maybe president on the dating scene. If somehow you do get elected they'll have situations like a presidential boyfriend sleeping over at White House and what kind of example is that going to set?"

"It won't be the whore house you made Fitzgerald!"

"Voters feel entitled to know about your personal life Mellie," Fitz said in a more calming tone as he approached her slowly, "it would be a reality show of insane proportions."

Before she could push him away he was already gripping onto her arms and looking down at her. Fitz rose his hands to her face and wiped at the tears with his thumbs, Mellie didn't even know that she had begun to cry. The image of her finally breaking the highest glass ceiling placed on women vanished before her. She was so in denial about it all, Fitz was right. _They would never elect me. Because I won't seem stable, I won't have the perfect electable family. Because I can never publicly date for at least two years if I run or I'll be seen as a slut. This will make it seem as if Kyle was just a stepping stone. I can't run alone . . . I can't run alone. _

"I'm sorry Mellie," Fitz cooed at her, "it's not a never Mellie. It's just not the right time."

Mellie shoved him away and wiped at her tears, "It's not fair!" Mellie yelled as she hit Fitz in his chest with both of her fists, "It's not fair!" Mellie was feeling so much anger that she continued to push and shove at Fitz and he tried to stand still as she left more and more bruises, "This is all I wanted! Everything I planned! Just – FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU AND FUCK KYLE AND FUCK BEING A WOMAN AND FUCK LOVE AND FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK EVERYTHING IN THIS GOD FORSAKEN WORLD THAT THE LORD JUST THOUGHT I COULD FUCKING HANDLE!" Mellie cried and cried as she hit Fitz and he finally just stopped her motions by wrapping her in his arms, she tried to shove him off but he just held onto her tight hoping she would calm down.

"You got everything," she sobbed into his chest, "it's not fair. It's not fair. It was my turn." Mellie held onto Fitz with every muscle in her arms, but she felt weak. He held her in his arms and placed his chin on top her head, truly feeling bad for having to break the reality of her dreams to her. Even when she talked about running for President when he was still in office, he knew that it was possible because she would find someone after their divorce. Mellie was a beautiful and smart woman, finding a man to care for her was never a problem. It was Mellie finding someone she gave a shit about. But he knew she cared about Kyle, so it was time back then. Not now. Not even if she let him step in. The public would not like her already moved on and nonetheless with her ex-husband who left her in the first place.

Mellie lifted her head and stared at Fitz with red rimmed big blue eyes, "I can't cancel this stupid party can I?"

Fitz wanted to say yes because he craved nothing more than to coddle Mellie, and spend time with her more than anything else. But she had already invited press and big musicians so it would look worse on her to cut the whole thing off.

"Sorry Mels," he frowned and continued to rub circles on her back.

"UGHHHHH," she groaned throwing her face into his chest and wrapping her hands around his waist. Fitz laughed softly at her child like demeanor's, and moved his hand just above her hips. She lifted her head and bended back placing her hands on his chest, Fitz still held her by her hips not letting her escape his embrace. "Well that house isn't ready for me to come back yet anyway. I don't even know if I'm ready to go back."

"Mellie," Fitz started. But he became distracted when she leaned in closer to his lips. She continued to rub up and down his pecks, until she let her hands rest on his shoulders. "Why did you throw me out? You knew I was clueless . . . to everything dealing with Olivia Pope's father. You didn't even tell me about Remington. I was just trying to be your hero for once Fitz. I was just trying to save you. I was just trying to make you notice that I'm not ornamental. That you could come to me for anything . . . like you used to."

"Where is this coming from?" Fitz asked with a bad feeling in his gut. But he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Mellie looked side to side at the greenery, and then back up at Fitz, "I was just thinking about everything that happened in that house and I realized we never talked about anything. We just moved on without bringing light into the dark places. We just acted like the bad things never happened, and I think that's why our relationship is so fucked up . . . because you don't like to talk about the mess ups."

Fitz just stared at her silent.

"And I'm not talking about Olivia, God no, we dealt with THAT too much. We did talk about that a lot and that's why that is put to bed. But it was true when I told you that we have things on a list to not talk about, 'Mellie's rape, Jerry's death and Fitz's suicide' and then you told me to never bring it up again. All of those things were never allowed to be brought up and that is what caused us even more tension Fitz. Because too many questions were left unanswered and you were okay with it but I wasn't. Not that it mattered to you back then, I'm just saying that it surely wouldn't have saved us from divorce but it would have saved a whole lot of drama."

Fitz opened his mouth but then closed it, not knowing what to say.

"Healing begins when someone bears witness. When someone says I see you, I believe you. When you bear witness, then it becomes real. If you keep quiet you can pretend that it's not. And that's a problem you have, you don't like talking about the bad things. But that's how you move forward."

Mellie looked up at her ex-husband, she had finally said what she had been thinking for over five years to him.

"I-" Fitz started shakingly, "I don't give you enough credit."

"It's hard because thinking about you makes me sad," Mellie said oddly smiling softly.

"What? We've had good times Mellie."

"Not in the passed twelve years."

"Well when you came to Vermont . . . "

Mellie inhaled sharply and the image of Jo crossed her mind, she quickly pulled away from Fitz's hold on her and he regretted what he brought up, "Mellie I'm sorry I didn't mean _that time_, I just meant-"

"No, I'm not angry – I just I have to get ready and you should to," Mellie stated and walked towards the closed French doors. Fitz reached for her hand and she turned to him, they stayed holding each others hands at long length and Mellie squeezed his, "I'm wearing blue tonight," then she let his hand go and opened the French doors to go back inside the house. She looked at the alarm clock on the guest room bedside table and it was already five thirty, she only had an hour to get ready.

It was six forty five and Mellie already heard music playing from outside, and people laughing and talking outside. There was security at every entrance door to her house to make sure no one but her family was allowed in or out. Karen and Kelly-Kate had knocked on her door at exactly six thirty to show her their outfits and Mellie agreed on their chosen dresses. Finally after Mellie looked at herself in the mirror, approved of her last minute change to a dark blue sundress and red heels. Her hair was pulled back into a half ponytail and her natural curls flowed down her back. She wore pearls both around her neck and ears of course.

There was a knock on her door and her nanny came in with Jo, who was wearing a cute red dress with blue stars on it and a red headband with a bow on it. Mellie felt her heart melt; eight months had flown by so quickly. She grabbed Jo and placed her on her hip and made her way down the stairs. Teddy ran passed her and she yelled at him to slow down, he apologized and Mellie took a quick look at his jeans and white polo before he opened the back door and went to enjoy tonight's events. As she turned the corner of the stair well to follow Teddy she jumped to see Fitz drinking a bottled coke against the hall way.

He had changed to pre-washed red shorts and a blue polo, of course his inevitable brown sperry's were on as well. His hair was gelled to perfection and Mellie smiled at face he made once he caught sight of her. He almost spit out his coke, but before he could spill it he put the bottle down on the island of the kitchen that was in front of the hallway.

"The both of you look perfect!" he smiled and walked over to grab Jo from her arms. Mellie reluctantly passed her to him and he bounced her on the kitchen island, "You are so cute!" he proceeded to make funny faces at her, and Jo stared at him with wonder of the man who was smiling at her. Her eyes shined in the kitchen light and Fitz turned to Mellie, "Her eyes changed, they used to look like yours."

Mellie blinked from the trance of watching Fitz with Jo, "Umm, yah the doctor said it's totally normal for babies, remember when we thought Jerry's eyes were going to stay grey but they changed to blue?"

"Yah none of our kids got my green eyes, somehow you always won that battle of the genes," Fitz smiled and then turned back to Jo. "It's weird neither you or Kyle have green eyes?"

"Oh, his dad did so it must have just showed up again," Mellie answered nonchalantly. Then Fitz put Jo on his waist and began walking towards the back door to the party. Mellie cleared her throat, and he turned back around with a questioning look in his eyes. Then she pointed at Jo with grin, and he nodded and laughed.

"Oh yah, sorry she's just so cute," he said giving Jo back to Mellie and walked out into the party. Mellie decided she should waite at least four more minutes before her and Jo would walk out of the house. With one last look in her daughters green eyes she sighed, "at least we still have Taylor Swift," then she opened the back door.

The first hour went by with Mellie saying hello to countless Virginia state officials and their families, as well as Virginia police officers and fire fighters and their families. She took Jo on the carousel, and Mellie had to admit she loved the smell of barbeque in the air. Karen ran by to ask what time Taylor would go on and Mellie said at nine o'clock. Then word got out that the special guest was Taylor and it was funny to see even parents get excited.

Mellie hadn't seen Fitz at all, and Jo was starting to get fussy by eight forty five, so she handed her to the nanny to be fed and put to sleep. Mellie went to the snow cone food truck and was handed a blue coconut one, and relished in the feeling around her. Although all of this was just for fun now, at least she wasn't nervous about announcing her presidential run anymore.

Before Taylor could take the stage Mellie ran to the back of it to wish her good luck and thanked her for being nice to Karen and Kelly-Kate, who were going to be lucky enough to go on stage with her during _Bad Blood_. The singer was such a sweet girl that Mellie thanked her once again for stopping by during her 1989 tour. Taylor asked her to get onstage during _Style_ her last song, and Mellie debated until Kelly-Kate and Karen forced her to.

So the show started and Mellie watched from the side of back stage and loved how everyone cheered and genuinely looked like they were having a good time. She even caught the governor singing a long with his daughters. Mellie looked out at the crowd for Fitz and Teddy but couldn't find them. She busted out her iPhone and typed to him,

_You okay? Haven't seen you . . . or Teddy._

She saw the bubble typing immediately and felt relief.

_Putting Teddy to bed, he ate too much and didn't feel good. Do you have headphones or earplugs? I don't want him to wake up to the noise outside._

Mellie thought of the last time she used her headphones and remembered putting them on while working on some paperwork in her office. She quickly replied.

_My headphones should be in my office. If they're not on my desk they should be in the first or second drawer. Need my help?_

Her phone buzzed rapidly.

_No, enjoy Taylor! Thanks, I'll be right down._

Mellie smiled.

_Okay . . . I'm going on stage during her last song . . . wish me luck. _

Before she could put her phone away it buzzed one last time.

_You don't need any._

Suddenly she heard _Bad Blood _and Kelly-Kate and Karen waited for their cue to go onstage. They were supposed to go on when she started singing "Band-aids don't fix bullet holes," and Mellie smiled as they were jumping up and down singing along to her song. Finally it started and the stage manager told them to walk out. They all sang along and Taylor held their hands when the song finished.

_Blank Space _was next and then _Style, _the girls squealed from adrenaline and fun when they came back stage and Mellie was glad to see she made their night even more exciting. Fitz still hadn't showed up and Mellie was getting nervous, _maybe I should have gone to help with Teddy. _But then _Style _came on and Mellie was told to make her entrance when she heard Taylor say "Mellie Grant everybody!" after the "he says what you heard is true but I, I can't stop thinking bout you and I- I said I've been there to a few times."

Mellie was nervous when she finally heard Taylor say her name and she walked out on stage and everyone cheered. The crowd was much larger than she anticipated. Mellie looked for Fitz but couldn't see him anywhere. Taylor grabbed her right hand and continued singing as they danced on stage. People clapped when the song finished and Mellie and Taylor took a bow.

Both girls said thank you's and Mellie said a quick impromptu speech about Fourth of July and thanked everyone again for coming out. Kelly-Kate and Karen showed Mellie that they had made it on Taylor's Instagram and so had Mellie and it was the end of a good show. She asked if they had seen Fitz and they both nodded no.

Mellie said she wanted to go check on Teddy and look for Fitz since he hadn't made an appearance anywhere yet. So she kissed the girls cheeks and walked inside, the DJ she had paid started playing music for one more hour before the party would end at eleven thirty with a round of huge fireworks in her back yard sky.

Mellie finally made it to the back porch and nodded at the security guard as he let her inside. The house was dark for the most part only a couple of lamps on here and there. She made her way up the stairs and at the top instead of turning left to Jo's, Karen and Kelly-Kate's, Fitz's guest room and her own. She turned right towards Teddy's and her office. His door was the first to her left across a small bathroom, and he had his small night light on, illuminating moving stars on the walls. Teddy was sound asleep with her head phones placed in her ears, she kissed the top of his forehead and looked around the dim room for Fitz but he was no where to be found.

She walked out and caught an orange light coming from under her door to the office, Mellie walked toward it and opened the mahogany door. Fitz was sitting in her chair looking down at a mess of papers. The room was only lit by her desk lamp and when he turned up to look at her Mellie felt uneasy in her stomach.

"Shut the door," he said calmly standing up from his position in front of her desk.

"Fitz-"

"I said shut the door Mellie," he growled lowly at her. His eyebrows were curved in and Mellie knew he was angry. She shut the door softly behind her until she heard the click of the door knob.

Fitz turned back around towards the mess of paper son her desk and started speaking in a calm pompous tone, "So Mellie I'm a bit confused here, because there are two identical folders mailed from the DNA Lab to you, but one dated February 9th says I'm Jo's father, and there's one dated May 15th that say Kyle is Jo's father-"

"I told you only the first and second drawer, these were in the third you had no business going through my stuff Fitzgerald," Mellie growled approaching him and when she tried to put the papers into a file Fitz grabbed her hands and pushed her away from the desk blocking her.

"Who's Jo's father Mellie? Did you ask them to re-test and they got it wrong the first time," Fitz asked as his voice only getting more violent. "Or are her eyes green for a reason? Did you lie to him Mellie? Did you lie to me? Who is Jo's true father?!" he yelled and Mellie jumped at his sudden rage.

Mellie's lip started quivering and it felt like her stomach was doing flips inside her. She looked up at him and couldn't find words. Fitz was looking straight in her eyes and he knew the truth without her even saying anything. "You did lie to us, what did you do Mellie?!" Fitz approached her until he was only a foot in front of her.

"You don't understand Fitz," Mellie croaked as tears were threatening to roll down her cheeks. His eyes widened and he couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth.

"You were going to make her live her entire life thinking that her father was dead! When I am here, her true father alive and YOU WERE GOING TO KEEP HER FROM ME?!" Fitz yelled in Mellie's face.

"You don't understand!" Mellie yelled back, "Kyle was dying and if he- if he found out that you were the father it would have devastated him! So when I got the initial results back I his them and told the doctor to change it or forge it, to make it where Kyle was the father because I couldn't do that to him!"

"But you could do that to me?" Fitz scoffed and Mellie could see that he was hurting, there was frown on his face and water building in them as well. "Just when I think I know who you are, who you truly are, not the vindictive power grasping woman who I hated in that house, but the Mellie who tells me the reality of things, who was on my side, the woman who I regretted leaving. But you've only proven that you don't change, YOU DON'T CHANGE."

"I didn't do this for me!" Mellie yelled at him, until she was right in his face, "I did not lie to you to get something that benefitted me! I did this for Kyle! This situation was much bigger than you and me! You don't think that I wanted to tell you that Jo is yours?! You don't think I cried when her eyes stayed sea green just like yours?! Fitzgerald Grant I did not do this for me, if I did things for myself the world I'm living in would be a lot different!"

They both stayed still looking into each others eyes and Fitz asked calmly, "Were you ever going to tell me that she was mine?"

Mellie ran her hands up his chest and paused, "I – I think I would have, I hadn't gotten that far yet. There's too many variables-"

Fitz threw her hands back at her, "You hadn't gotten that far yet?!" he laughed sarcastically then walked by her opening the door, "Screw you Mellie," he growled and then started walking down the hallway to his guest room. Mellie debated letting him go cool off but she couldn't stand being alone right now, so she followed him until they were both in his room. She shut the door behind her and rested against it, waiting for him to turn back and look at her. He opened the blinds to the French doors in order to look out a little at the back yard. Surely no one had heard them yelling over the music blaring outside.

Fitz paced back and forth, rubbing his head of curls, sometimes pulling at them. Mellie waited patiently looking at him in the dark of the room, on lit by the outside carnival lights. He put his hands on his wait and looked at her, "You are right, this was bigger than you and me."

Mellie's eyes widened at his confession and she stared at him blankly, surely not expecting him to say anything like that.

"You were protecting Kyle because . . . because you loved him."

Tears fell down Mellie's cheeks and she whispered, "I did love him Fitz. I'm sorry but I – I loved him most ardently." As she was speaking she took baby steps towards him, "It hurt me to lie to you, after everything we have been through the last thing I wanted was to lie to you. Because –" she paused as she was right before him, "because I loved you too. It was always there and I hated it. I hated you because right when I had something great you decided you wanted me, you decided at the time when I was finally passed everything and exploring a new healthy life that you were going to make it up to me. I hated that I still loved you, while loving him all the same. So I pushed you away, because Kyle didn't deserve that. He loved me and I couldn't break his heart," Mellie looked up at him and his hands found there way to both her cheeks. "So I did what I thought I had to, and I'm sorry that it hurt you."

Mellie couldn't believe she had just let everything out, every secret she had been holding was now out and she hated it even ore that it felt good to say all those things to him.

"So Jo is mine?" Fitz whispered only inches from her lips.

More tears graced down her cheeks, "Jo is yours."

He whispered, "well at least my final kid got my eyes."

Mellie laughed softly and she was glad that she followed Fitz into his room; she wasn't sure how to continue to go about this. But now that her secret was out . . . at least to him she did feel like a part of her was healing.

"Mellie," he whispered.

She stared back at his green eyes and waited for him to continue, "you still loved me?"

Mellie's eyes grew wide and she had not seen that coming. She closed her eyes and whispered, "I have always loved you."

"I love you too," he said with a smile on his face.

Mellie nodded with a shy smirk and Fitz stated one last thing, "no more lies."

"No more lies," Mellie whispered. Then she jumped as she heard the loud boom of the first firework popping in her back yard. The room lit up with a flash of red and both her and Fitz looked out through the blinds. Then she felt his hands at her cheeks and he turned her face back towards him, Mellie knew what was coming and she knew that she shouldn't but the tension was too high. Fitz took her chin in between his fingers and leaned in, by the sound of another firework being popped in the sky their lips touched and Mellie felt her inside's melt.

She didn't know where they were going to go from there. She didn't know how or if they were going to explain Jo to others. All she knew was that Fitz was there with her. In love with her. She was tired of being tired and sad and holding onto secrets. It was wrong to feel this safe, but she felt incurably safe kissing him. She missed him and he missed her.

No more lies.


	26. Gravity

_Thank you for all the amazing reviews, I appreciate all of you so much and thank you for your patience. I have been slummed by work and getting things ready to move back to my university this fall. But I enjoyed writing this chapter. _

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

**Gravity**

Mellie pulled away from Fitz and genuinely smiled, as she heard the fireworks continuing she grabbed Fitz's hand and walked over to the balcony French doors. Fitz reached to open them, but Mellie immediately stopped his hands before he could pull at the handles. He looked at her with confusion, and her lips pouted while her eyes fell to the floor.

"Someone could see us," she said softly. Fitz nodded his head in agreement, and they both turned to the firework show. He turned sideways to look at his ex-wife, and she had a small smile on her face watching the colorful explosions in the sky. He couldn't believe she had let him in, even the slightest bit. The most surprising part was he was not expecting it at all. He was also not expecting to find out the Jo was actually his, he had speculated every now and then, but once Mellie set the record straight that Kyle was the father he did not pursue it any further.

He wasn't sure how they would tell Kelly-Kate and Emily, he didn't even know if Mellie wanted to tell them. It would hurt them in the end he knew that. No matter what way they could spin Mellie's decision to tell Kyle that Jo was his, in their eyes it would not justify what she did. He knew it would destroy her if they turned her away even though she was so deeply in love with Kyle while he was here with her. Even though they were man and wife once upon a time.

So he just decided to hold onto her hand and never again would he let her go. They were years late to feeling the way they should have fifteen years ago. But life has its way of fucking things up.

Fitz suddenly slid his arms around her waist and turned her to him, Mellie was uneasy at first but Fitz pulled her into his embrace and rested his cheek upon her head. He felt something in his heart that made him aware of how lucky he was. Fitz was never one to thank a higher power, but he silently looked up at the ceiling and acknowledged a grace much powerful than his own.

Mellie inhaled the scent she didn't realize she longed for until it was wrapped around her. Never did she think they would get another chance. Through everything they had both lived through, it seemed almost impossible, it seemed like a far fetched dream.

She raised her head and their foreheads touched, she loved their height difference it made looking into each others eyes very easy.

"Do you remember when Sara Bareilles sang at the Kennedy Center Honors your third year in office?" Mellie whispered as she looked down at her hands grazing his chest. Fitz's silence and quizzical expression made her laugh lightly, he was never one to know much about entertainment. When they played Trivial Pursuit he was always "that guy" choosing History or Geography, while Mellie always chose Entertainment and Arts &amp; Literature.

"I don't expect you to remember anyone but the Rolling Stones, which is understandable, but she sang this beautiful song called Gravity . . ." Mellie continued and was feeling very self-conscious because she hadn't shared something so private with him in a while, "well it reminds me of you."

Although Fitz couldn't quite remember the song he smiled at her being open with him about something she would never dare tell him a few years ago.

"When ever I'm feeling angry, sad, happy, or like the world is falling a part somehow I find myself humming it. I hummed it so many times during my senatorial race and right after losing Jerry . . ." she said moving her hands up his shoulders and around his neck.

"Especially after our divorce . . . I just I couldn't stop playing it in the background," Mellie finished explaining her adoration for the song and reached up to kiss the tip of his nose. "I know it's silly, but –"

"It's not silly, I'm glad you told me," Fitz smiled and leaned in closer to his lips. They looked in each others eyes and Mellie felt butterflies growing in her stomach. How were they so mature and still feeling like teenagers? He moved closer and his bottom lip brushed her top one and she wanted more. Their noses brushed and Mellie smiled and he grinned widely back at her.

"Never again, your love, your friendship, means everything to me," Fitz spoke and his lips grazed hers as his deep and low voice met her ears smoothly.

"I've heard that before," she whispered smiling bigger than she had for months.

Fitz wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and closed the mere centimeters between them and kissed Mellie with emotions he had held since Vermont. Their bodies molded and he resisted the urge to lay her down simply to kiss her some more.

Mellie was too busy enjoying the feeling of Fitz's touch again that she didn't hear the music stop playing. The crowd was being escorted politely off the grounds and they both jumped when they heard the back door slam and laughter filling the ground floor. Mellie pulled away from Fitz as fast as she could and tried to control her flustered face. He smirked and ran a hand through his curls fully content with what had just happened.

"I should go check on the girls," she told him before practically running out the door. The whole scene felt like it didn't happen as she began her decent downstairs, but her erratic heartbeat proved her wrong. She rounded the stair well to her kitchen and found Kelly-Kate and Karen grabbing water from the fridge. They caught Mellie coming through the hall and smiled at her, "so many people are talking about this party!" Karen said.

"Well it cost enough," Mellie laughed and told Karen to grab her a bottle of water also.

As she grabbed it from the side of the fridge and turned to her mother Karen said, "So where have you been? You left about an hour ago and never came back."

Mellie's heart dropped and for being one of the best liars in the business, when it came to looking into her daughters eyes, she found it the hardest to tell a fib. Quickly recovering from her shock, Mellie said "Teddy wasn't feeling well, I think he ate too much so I came to help your father calm him down, shower and put him to sleep. Hopefully by the morning it passes."

Karen sighed, "Oh that blows."

"Totally," Kelly-Kate nodded as she sipped on her water.

Mellie quickly changed the subject, "So was it fun? The fireworks looked amazing from my balcony!"

"Mom, you're all over Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter I think your party was a total celebrity success," Karen rolled her eyes laughing. Mellie was a little jealous that had she announced her presidency it would have been an even bigger event than what it already was. But tonight still had some very good positive ends regardless of retracting her will to run for President this election. She was barely going to turn 50 next January and Hillary Clinton was 67 when she announced so Mellie had years which only made her more experienced and better qualified.

With some regular chit-chat that didn't really matter, the girls excused themselves to their room to finish watching Parks &amp; Recreation and report back to their friends how amazing their night was. Mellie enjoyed seeing the two girls interact on a level of closeness she had never seen in anybody but Jerry and Karen, and she wondered if maybe her and Fitz didn't do a terrible job raising them. Joy followed Karen around and it was easy for her to adjust to any situation. She had certainly become Kelly-Kate's best friend, and vice versa. The thought of this ending when the truth got out about Jo, and how Mellie had hid the truth of her true biological father made her cringe. SO like she does with a lot of the bad stuff she pushed it to the back of her mind.

She heard footsteps come down the stairs and expected the girls had forgotten something, but she turned to find Fitz had changed into cashmere pajama pants, and a plane white undershirt. It made her want to rip off her dress and change into her own comfortable pajamas just looking at his state of relaxation.

As he approached her she looked up the stairs nervously.

"The girls closed the door don't worry," he whispered as he went over to the fridge and opened it to exam what snack Mellie might have. He was satisfied when he found some chocolate pudding cups. He ripped one from the pair they were packaged in and then turned around kicking the fridge door softly. With out looking for a spoon he ripped off the plastic top and licked at the pudding that stuck to it.

Before he could ask for one, Mellie was by his side opening a drawer and grabbing him a spoon. But before she gave it to him, she stuck it in the pudding and scooped up some for herself to eat, after licking the spoon clean she stuck it back in the pudding cup. Fitz's eyebrows were curved inwards in disapproval, and Mellie laughed, "it is my pudding!"

"You took like half!" he scolded her as he grabbed the spoon to finish the remaining pudding.

"I did not!" she laughed and shoved him as he was licking the spoon.

Fitz finally finished it and reading his mind Mellie grabbed it from his hand and threw it in the trash they hid under a cabin by the pantry.

"You know, I'm kind of waiting for you to realize that you're being nice to me and that this isn't a dream so you can kick me out," Fitz said softly as her leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen. His elbows rested on it and he lifted up his right hand to rest his chin upon it's palm.

Mellie turned from her spot next to the pantry, and snidely said with a playful smile on her lips, "Oh let's not confuse me with you." In different circumstances Fitz would think she was starting an argument with him, but by the way her face lit up at her remark he knew she was merely kidding and picking at them. _Good, _he thought, _at least were starting to laugh at our mistakes. _

Before he could speak Mellie was next to him and he turned to face her. Fitz ran his right hand up the curve of her shoulder blades to the back of her neck and pulled her waist towards him with his left. "So much sass," Fitz laughed as he leaned into Mellie.

"I think they used that as a headline once for me, 'Senator Sass of Virginia' or something like that," she murmured still not being able to control her small smile.

Fitz chuckled and moved in to place a placate kiss on her lips. Mellie felt herself melt for the third time that night and sighed when their sweet kiss was over. She couldn't believe they could barely take their hands off each other.

Mellie rested her head on his chest and loved the feeling of calmness that was slowly becoming her all because of Fitz. It kind of amazed her that he still had such a major effect on her emotions. She thought about the anxiety pills still in her medicine cabinet back in her master bedroom, and thought she may not need them as much anymore.

Fitz kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I want to hold Jo . . . as my daughter."

Mellie bit her lip and looked at him with large blue eyes. She nodded up and down slowly, and grabbed his hand leading him back up the stairs. They tried to be quiet as they passed by the girls room, still seeing little flashes of light from what Mellie assumed was the television from the crack under their door. But she led him into the room and they could see the planets above her crib spinning ever so slowly, with dim illuminating light coming from each one.

Her room was light pink with white wooden crown molding covering half of the wall with thin gold lines in the inner designed squares, just as Mellie had wanted. There were gold letters on the wall next to her crib spelling "Josephine". Her curtains were white and so were her dressers. There were more accents of gold in several areas, such as the pillows on her small couch in the room and thin lining design on her vanity. Mellie's interior designer had gone above and beyond.

They walked over to the sleeping baby girl in the crib and Fitz watched her peacefully breathe as her chest rose up and down slowly. He looked at Mellie for one last permission grant and she nodded her head signaling him to pick up Jo.

Carefully he reached over the crib and placed his hands under Jo's back and carried her carefully up to his chest. She was warm from being asleep and as she felt the sudden movement her eyes fluttered open, but once her little head hit his chest they drooped down again. Fitz inhaled her baby scent and forgot just how fragile and soft they were.

He rubbed her tiny back and subconsciously started swaying side to side. Mellie watched as he held Joy and the image of Kyle's exact same face when he would hold his daughter flashed in her mind. She gulped and knew that this secret would kill her slowly, but no matter what she knew it is what had to be done.

So she walked around to Fitz's back and lightly rubbed the top of Jo's head with her left hand, while her right hand found the small of Fitz's back. Suddenly he turned to face Mellie and said "I will not give up on her or you Mels, I promise."

"I know," she whispered and he leaned in to peck her lips lightly. Knowing full well that it was getting late and he wanted Mellie to get some sleep, Fitz reluctantly placed Jo back in her crib and the two walked out of the room silently. In the hallway they both parted to separate routes, each to their own rooms and Fitz looked at her one last time before shutting his door.

He folded back the blankets on his bed and climbed into the cool comforters. Trying to close his eyes from the day, he simply couldn't because it had been _too good _of a day and he hadn't had one of those in quite a while. So Fitz decided to read a book off his iPhone 6 to pass the time. His hand reached across to the empty side of the bed to feel for the cold metal and the charging wire he had left it on before he went downstairs earlier. He pulled it away from the charger until it broke free and sat up a little on the bed so he could begin reading.

With his finger print identification confirmed the phone slid open and Fitz switched pages to find his iBook app. But when he saw his Spotify application he opened it with another idea in his mind.

He navigated to the "Search" bar and typed _Gravity Sara Barellies._ It popped open with over 24 million listens and Fitz's was impressed, how on Earth did he not remember this artist. Before starting the song Fitz looked for his headphones in his duffel bag by the side of his bed. After feeling the thin wires in the dark clutter, he pulled on them and used his abs to pick himself back up to his sitting position on the bed.

Finally he plugged them in, and into each ear and pressed play.

The song started off slow with simple piano keys and the lyrics began.

_Something always brings me back to you._

_It never takes too long._

_No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone._

Fitz thought of the many times they drifted a part, and how they always seemed to meet again. Yes, having kids played a major role in that, but some divorced parents have absolutely no contact with one another. He remembered kicking Mellie out of the White House and serving her with a divorce, now knowing that she cared much more than she had let on.

_You hold me without touch._

_You keep me without chains._

_I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your reign._

He didn't want to take the song so literally, but he felt a pang in his chest wondering if Mellie had loved him much more than he gave her credit for when they were the "First Couple."

_Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity._

_Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be._

_But you're on to me and all over me._

_You loved me 'cause I'm fragile._

_When I thought that I was strong._

_But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone._

_Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity._

_Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be._

_But you're on to me and all over me._

It was true and he had always known it. Mellie was a strong woman; heavy is the head that wears the crown. But he knew her weakest spots, and he felt ashamed for abusing them in the times that he did. It wasn't until after their divorce that he realized, she really hadn't left his side no matter what he had done to her. He never knew he had such an effect on her, because she was so good at pretending.

_I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you're everything I think I need here on the ground._

_But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go._

_The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down._

_You're keeping me down, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

He had to admit this singer was killing it. The song although not as lovey as he had hoped was so very truthful. It was almost a secret key to some of Mellie's true feelings over the past ten years. She truly did love him, and he hurt her over and over again. Some credit had to go to her for being so strong and not showing how deep he truly had been stabbing her. Was she truly on her knees for the eight years in that house? He hated that he had been blind.

_You're on to me, on to me, and all over..._

_Something always brings me back to you._

_It never takes too long._

The song ended and Fitz stomach had done enough flips that he surely wasn't going to go to bed now. He ripped the headphones from his ears and threw the covers above him off his body. He debated waking her up to say that he had listened to the song, and wondered if that was so very lame. Fitz walked to the door and touched the doorknob about to turn it, and then he backed away from it deciding he'd better not.

He wanted to yell at his internal argument, so in frustration he did knee ups in place and then jumped up and down trying to get rid of some adrenaline running through his veins. He shook his body while jumping up and down trying to get tired, but just found himself getting sweaty so he decided he'd rather not go to bed full of perspiration.

Fitz looked at the time, it was one in the morning and he hoped the girls were in bed.

He craved to hold Mellie in his arms, and finally he walked back to his room door. With one last breath he swung it open and was met with shining blue eyes, and a surprised look. Her left hand was up about to knock on his door and Fitz laughed as Mellie turned a light shade of pink.

Before he could speak she gained her composure and grabbed his right hand pulling him quietly into the hallway. She was wearing flip flops and remembering what her plan was, she pushed him back into his room and whispered "get your shoes."

Fitz was so confused from being pulled and pushed places, that he complied and grabbed his brown sandals from his duffel bag and raced quickly back to Mellie who was watching him from the doorframe. She put a finger up to her lips signaling him to be very quiet, and pulled him downstairs once again. Fitz was in awe of the human before him; never had he felt butterflies in his stomach around Mellie as he was feeling right now.

At the bottom of the stairs she let him go to grab a quilt from her couch and then went to grab his hand once again leading him to the back yard. Everything had been picked up and Mellie and Fitz walked hand in hand through the grass.

"Where are we going?" he whispered.

"The lake of course," Mellie smiled at him and continued to lead him. "You do realize I know how to have fun too right? All those times you left me bored at home, when I am the one who made us do the most mischievous things in college. Somewhere along our marriage you forgot that."

"Are you planning on reminding me on all the things we used to do in college?" Fitz rose his left eyebrow and tried to hold back a smirk.

"Oh honey, if I was ever _that_ limber again. HAHA, if _you _were _that_ limber," Mellie laughed at his question and Fitz gave her a serious face, not liking the age joke. But in all seriousness he was nearing the late 50's and Mellie was getting to 50. God knows how they stayed looking so young.

Mellie both liked and hated how their connection snapped back into place so quickly, they resorted back into being important to each other because they always were. A part of her knew it should be postponed . . . they're sneaking around with each other . . . but he was helping her heal. She needed Fitz to be okay. If she didn't have Fitz, especially now after everything he had learned, her heart would break only once again.

They had been walking for quite a while, and when they entered the forest of trees Fitz didn't want to lie he was kind of scared.

"You know where you're going right?" he said as she continued to pull him along some unseen pathway. They were climbing over tree vines and different flower patches.

"No Fitzgerald, I've only lived here for six years I have no idea where on Earth I am."

"So much sass!"

"Come on, we're almost there," she shook her head and pulled him forward for another fifty yards until finally their eyes laid upon the glimmering lake, it shined with the moonlight. Then before he could speak she pulled him to the left on the edge of the lake was an old white truck. Almost the same model as the one he bought at the _Life &amp; Death Brigade_.

"I keep this here to come and read by the lake without bugs climbing on my legs. I also lay some blankets for Jo and me sometimes. My gardener comes every Wednesday and Sunday to clean it. But it's my area." Mellie said as she clicked on the handle for the back of the truck to drop open in order for them to climb in. Hopping into the bed of it, she laid down the quilt and looked back at Fitz.

His eyes were a little saddened and she watched as one tear fell down his left cheek. Mellie surely wasn't expecting this reaction from him, and she kneeled on the edge of the truck where they both were at about the same eye level. Mellie was maybe two inches above him. She grabbed onto his face with a look of concern and said, "Fitz what's wrong?"

He put his hand on her hips and lowly said, "Why didn't you ever fight me and make me see how much you tried? How much I had hurt you? You don't realize how selfless you are sometimes, and it hurts me knowing that all this time-"

"Fitz, fitz," she cut him off as it seemed he was the one getting an anxiety attack. "Stop it, there's no reason for you to get worked up over my choices babe . . . I have already forgiven you. I have already forgiven myself and learned how to love myself. Now I can love you because I have learned how to love myself. That was the problem Fitz, but now I am . . . I am free."

He nodded and Mellie hated seeing his pouted face, "Come on, join me up here."

She scooted back and Fitz climbed into the back of the truck with her. Fitz sat with his back against the truck and Mellie sat in between his legs. His arms were wrapped around her stomach and she loved feeling her back against his chest. They sat watching the lake glimmer and sounds of the wind blowing through the trees.

"I – I never told Kyle about this spot when we got married," Mellie whispered as she looked up at the moon. "It didn't feel right . . . I don't know why. It wasn't that I was hiding it from him, but I just always imagine being in this truck with a person joining me differently."

"How do you imagine it?" Fitz asked and she loved his husky voice in the late hours of the night.

"Like this," she whispered and held his arms around her. She turned her head to the side to look up at him, and he stared down at her. He lowered his head and their lips met softly. Mellie turned a little more and held his right cheek with her left hand.

After they finished they're kissing session, she turned back to the lake and Fitz eyes were getting droopy as were Mellie's.

"I listened to _Gravity_," he said and Mellie smiled a little bit. "I couldn't sleep and I just searched it . . . it's a beautiful song."

"Do you hate me for it reminding me of you?" she giggled and Fitz laughed.

"No, I love you for sharing it with me and it being so truthful."

"I'm sure there will be a happier song that reminds me of you," Mellie smirked and then sighed, "I just haven't found it yet."

"_Fly Me to the Moon,"_ Fitz said kissing the back of her head. Mellie's eyes lit up, she had completely forgotten about their engagement song. The night that he took her to Napa and proposed, and they played it every Christmas, and it was their wedding song.

She quickly turned around, and put her legs around his waist. Fitz looked at her with surprised eyes, and she was smiling wide.

"_Fly Me to the Moon" _she began singing softly with a smile on her face,_ "Let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on a-Jupiter and Mars. In other words, hold my hand. In other words, baby, kiss me . . ."_ and their faces got closer to each other until the tips of their noses touched and Mellie closed the last inches to kiss him. His hands went up to cup her face and he swore the moon only shined down on the both of them at that moment.

They both pulled away and Mellie blushed as some of her loose curls hid her face. She turned back around and Fitz's opened up his legs so she could fit back against him perfectly again. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her on the back of this truck but he knew she needed more time to be fully okay with that.

They both stared out into the hypnotic water and let their eyes fall in the embrace of each other.

* * *

The morning sun rolled around and suddenly there was a hard banging on the edge of the truck. Both adults groaned at the loud noise and then groaned even louder at the aches in their back. Maybe sleeping in the bed of a truck was a bad idea for these older adults.

"Wake up you idiots!" some one yelled at them as they banged on the back of the truck again. Mellie rubbed her eyes and squinted at the person standing in front of them on the ground. Finally her vision came to her and she realized it was Karen, before she could speak Karen hit the truck again.

"Karen!" Mellie growled covering her ears. Fitz rubbed his eyes and when he saw it was just his daughter he closed them again leaned back on the truck.

"No! No! Wake up," she yelled and her father finally opened his eyes with a deathly stare at her.

"What do you want Karen?" he said with a gruff and Mellie sat up in front of him but still in between.

"What do I want? Hmmmm what do I want?" Karen said rubbing her chin sarcastically, "I came to read my book because I woke up at the crack of dawn and THANK GOD Kelly-Kate is still knocked out because she would have died is she saw the both of you out her cuddling like a couple of teenagers!"

Mellie's eyes widened and she quickly scooted away from Fitz, finally realizing that they had been caught red handed. He tried holding her back but was to tired to hold onto her cotton t-shirt.

"Karen it wasn't anything, we just fell asleep-"

"Whatever! I have two horny teenagers as my parents. UGH look decent and go back in the house before she wakes up!"

Mellie and Fitz looked at her with slightly wide eyes.

"You're not angry at us for . . . literally sleeping . . . just sleeping together?" Mellie asked.

Karen looked at her mother and then at her father, "I saw it coming a mile away. Now, go!" she rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers in the direction of the house before walking back herself.

Mellie turned back to Fitz and they both looked at each other before cracking up into a fit laughter. Then they heard some one yell, "I SAID NOW!" They quieted down and then laughed lowly this time. They climbed out of the truck and walked back to the house hand in hand.

* * *

Also quick note, I made a youtube video called " Gravity - Mellie and Fitzgerald Grant (Season 4) " it's by "OliveWarrior" which is another name of mine. So just in case you want to see it . . . it's there! Thanks again, I'm working on the next chapter!


	27. Is There Somewhere

_Okay guys this chapter is a flashback. I heard this song called "Is There Somewhere" by Halsey, and had inspiration immediately. It's pretty short and I was going to publish it as a one shot but it made sense with my story so I published it here as part of their journey. I promise upcoming chapters will be much happier. I did enjoy writing this chapter so much though. Thanks for all the support!_

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

**Is There Somewhere**

_You were dancing in your tube socks in our hotel room,_

_Flashing those eyes like highway signs._

_Light one up and hand it over, rest your head upon my shoulder._

_I just wanna feel your lips against my skin._

Mellie watched as Fitz did his tie for the Kennedy Center Honors that night. He didn't even ask for her help this time. It seemed that they were hanging on by the edge. Regardless of her royal blue ball gown, he chose to go with a black tie, which still made semi-sense but didn't match like the First Couple of the United States were supposed to.

He was struggling to get it straight and she saw his frustration crunching in on his eyebrows. Fitz huffed and undid the polyester material almost ripping it off his neck. Their eyes met in the full length mirror in the corner of their master bedroom. Mellie was clipping on the Chanel pearls around her left wrist and with her eyes she asked _need help?_

Fitz blinked and looked back down at his tie ignoring her aid.

"Fine, take all night trying to get it right," Mellie said as she clipped on the last bracelet and walked to the bathroom to finish putting on her earrings and necklaces. She loved wearing double pearls and they looked excellent on the Oscar de la Renta strapless ball gown. It nipped at her waist and had a bunch of material in huge waves flow down. Mellie's hair was down and curled to a perfection, outlining every aspect of her face exceptionally.

She finished putting in her earrings and tried hard to fight away the feelings that rose in her stomach when she knew her, Fitz, and Olivia would be in the same room all night. Only to have the two of them escape to the Oval after it was all over and have her come back to the lonely residence.

Mellie usually didn't call the kids to visit them as often as she had been bugging Karen and Jerry these past two years. It was selfish of her to crave the sound of someone but herself in the residence, even when she didn't spend enough time with them when they were here. But the fact that if need be she could practice lines with Karen for her parts in the plays she was trying out for or hear Jerry talk about his plans for the Yearbook theme that year; in the middle of the night as he doodled in the black leather bound sketch book they got him from Venice.

She wanted the opportunity for silence not to eat her up every chance it got.

So Mellie swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down at her left hand clutching the edge of the sink. The rings wore heavy on her wedding finger. Everyday it seemed like a big joke. Instinctively she began to twist them around and around until she felt someone approach her.

"Mels," he said and her head shot up to meet his frown in the large bathroom mirror. The tie was undone and hanging wrinkled from being tugged and twisted. Mellie pursed her lips and pondered telling him to get a new one, but she didn't want him to regret asking her for help.

Mellie turned around and grabbed both ends of the tie and measured it on either side to the proper lengths and then began to do a double knot. Within in a minute she had a perfect black line running through the center of his chest. Not wanting to lose their proximity she slowly ran her hand down the material one last time and then patted him on the chest letting him know that she was done.

She looked up at him and then down at his pink lips, lips that only grazed her in public. She missed them kissing her every morning, every evening before bed and at random times through out the day. But they didn't belong to her anymore.

Mellie was too busy thinking of the past that she didn't notice Fitz looking down at her. With his hand he lightly touched her left wrist, "You look nice."

Mellie slowly curved her lips into a sad smile and nodded curtly before she whispered, "We're going to be late."

As she whisked away from his body, she inhaled a deep breath trying to calm the anxiety building in her bones. Her skin was crawling and not in the good way, it was like she had growing pains shooting out from her chest and through her veins until it reached every fingertip and toe. The pain of not crying hurt more than if she would actually let herself cry in front of him.

_White sheets, bright lights, crooked teeth, and the night life._

_You told me this is right where it begins._

_But your lips hang heavy underneath me._

_And I promised myself I wouldn't let you complete me._

They arrived in their limousine thirty minutes before show time, and she had gotten the text message that Olivia Pope was cleared by security ten minutes prior to their arrival. Mellie looked out at all the paparazzi through her seat in the back and didn't want to get out of the limo. She couldn't do it tonight. She couldn't pretend that her husband loved her any more than he liked negotiating with terrorists.

He was the President of the United States, and she'd heard all the stories. The President was the world's largest bachelor and in all circumstances Mellie could probably handle a man whore who had sex with women that groom their bodies to fuck politicians and celebrities as their life mission. But Fitzgerald isn't a monster, and he doesn't fuck everything with a pulse. He falls in love. He was a genuine human being. He is a genuine lover.

That's why she hated him, because she thought she knew him.

Deep inside Mellie knew that part of her marriage falling through the cracks was her inability to tell him about her rape. It was just too hard. Mellie was barely able to show him who she truly was; it was unlike her to be _that_ honest with anyone. But she was loosening up with Fitz that is until that night made her roll back into her shell.

Mellie promised herself that she would never let him complete her. Not after all the anger and sadness that had accompanied them the moment they stepped into their new white house.

Suddenly someone touched her hand and Mellie whipped her head to the left where Fitzgerald was looking at her with his deep green eyes. She pulled her hand from underneath his and knocked on the window for the driver to open the door.

The flashes began the moment her eyes could catch the night sky, and she felt like fainting. She looked behind her for Fitzgerald to link their arms and began the walk up the steps to the theater. But his eyes were hardly on her. They were already searching for someone much more important. Mellie smiled without teeth and once he was at her side she linked their hands instead of their arms.

She let him lead her up the stairs, and felt awfully English. Always two step behind her husband to show old fashioned propriety.

_I'm trying not to let it show, that I don't want to let this go._

_Is there somewhere you can meet me?_

_'Cause I clutched your arms like stairway railings._

_And you clutched my brain and eased my ailing._

They paused at the top of the stairs and turned around to the awaiting photographers. Both of them waved with grin plastered on their face. To any American they looked like the happiest couple to grace the West Wing. They were definitely the hottest in history very close to beating JFK and Jackie.

Fitz grabbed her by her waist and pulled her into his side and kissed her cheek. Mellie was taken so completely by surprise at his action that the paparazzi and Internet media adored her raw reaction all but seconds later. She hated when he did this. It was too easy to blur the lines of real and fake.

Mellie couldn't breathe and she clutched onto his side for support. A stupid smile was still grazing her face and she tried to control it after they went back to clutching hands, but she loved him. She loved him and she didn't want to let him go, even if he was in love with another woman.

He talked about her in his sleep, and Mellie felt like crying every time he murmured "Liv" as he tossed and turned while he lay only inches away from her. She knew how easily it was for Olivia to take him away from her. At the press of a button he would climb out of bed and into the back of a drivers car on the way to her apartment in the middle of the night. But did Olivia know exactly how much he meant to Mellie? Did she know that Mellie could possibly never love again after him? Did Olivia ever once think about how their affair would affect Mellie?

Of course she did. But Mellie was too good at showing absolutely no interest. Even if it's all she kept tabs on.

So Mellie clutched onto his hand until they made it inside the theater lobby. It glowed a dim yellow and she was happy that there were no camera's allowed inside the building.

_You're writing lines about me; romantic poetry._

_Your girl's got red in her cheeks, 'cause we're something she can't see._

But reporter's were allowed inside the building, at least for written public releases.

The "First Couple" spoke to many honorary guests and different political figures all across the country. Mellie let Fitz handle all of the talking, tonight personally because she felt if she did speak she'd vomit.

It was odd and Fitz noticed very quickly that his wife wasn't doing much talking, when all Mellie adored doing most of the time is putting her witty southern two cents in. She was the quotes they used in magazines to make America love them. It was true. They used Fitz for quotes on war, Wall Street, climate change, and the economy. But the media used Mellie for the special sightings into the "sweet" Grant marriage and family. How else would the country know that Fitz was terrible at football and a sore loser at Monopoly? That was all Mellie.

Mellie looked at her husband as he answered questions regarding tonight's performances and laughed as he tried to remember what entertainers were going to sing. Ask him anything about history but God forbid Beyoncé performs and Fitz doesn't remember her name.

Halfway through the interview she caught it. The moment he saw her. His words stuttered barely enough for her to catch and his eyes wandered for a brief second before looking back directly into the reporters eyes. Then he finished his question up fast and let the reporter move along the line.

Mellie's throat tightened as she caught his gaze freeze upon Olivia Pope. She was wearing a black and white dress and she now knew why he wanted to go simple tonight.

Suddenly the next reporter was in front of them, as Olivia Pope only stood feet away in hearing distance.

"Mr. President you look like you fell in love tonight," the journalist smiled as he fixed his Clark Kent glasses.

Fitz blushed and Mellie looked at the ground knowing very well that the lies he was about to spout weren't going to be at her at all, even as he held her close and looked into her sky blue eyes. Right on cue he hugged Mellie, kissed her right temple and looked back at the reporter, "Well when you marry Miss. North Carolina 1988 I think you'd fall in love everyday, wouldn't you?"

"Oh sir I don't doubt you one bit. What's it feel like looking at the women you've been married to for over fifteen years everyday?" the reporter asked enjoying how open he thought Fitz was being with him. Mellie cringed a little at the personal question at wondered what Fitz was going to say. She was a little intrigued because usually all these questions were directed at her. _How does it feel being married to the most powerful man on the planet? Oh I don't know I'll tell you when I speak to him after he get's done having sex with Olivia Pope, oh yah and that's if he comes back home!_

"It's amazing, we've grown together tremendously but I never seize to see the Mellie I met in New Haven many moons ago whenever I look in her blue eyes," Fitz answered with a perfect smile on his face until he kissed her cheek once more.

Mellie felt her heartbreak at his words.

"You're very lucky Mrs. Grant," the reporter said while smirking at her.

Mellie paused and looked at Fitz before turning back to the reporter, "I am," she said simply, "I am very lucky."

They said thank you to the reporter and as he walked away Mellie caught Olivia turning away from them with red in her cheeks and pursed lips. _Oh don't get pouty we all know who he really is thinking about right now. Who he is going to run to as soon as this thing is over._

_And I try to refrain but you're stuck in my brain._

_And all I do is cry and complain because second's not the same._

They found their seats and Mellie enjoyed every performance of the night so far. Closing the show, Sara Bareilles was going to sing and Mellie had only ever heard "Love Song" which she adored.

"This is a song called _Gravity_," the singer had said as she took her place in front of the black grand piano in a long white ball gown, with one single key light on her. As the talented young lady began singing Mellie listened closely to the lyrics. She was always one to look for the story in the song, and she felt her hand begin to shake as the melody made sense in her head.

Fitz sat next to her and didn't make any suggestions that he was enjoying the song as much as she was. He didn't even look like he was paying that much attention. But Mellie felt so much of her soul spill out of her as the song hit it's highest note and then dropped for the end softly. Before the singer could say "thank you" Mellie had stood up and began clapping. Everyone quickly followed suite and was surprised at the superb acknowledgment that the First Lady had just given.

_I'm sorry but I fell in love tonight._

_I didn't mean to fall in love tonight._

_You're looking like you fell in love tonight._

_Could we pretend that we're in love?_

As soon as the program was over her and Fitz were escorted to their limo. And once inside the White House she wasn't surprised when Fitz said he had some "work" to take care of in the Oval Office. She simply nodded quietly for the umpteenth time that night and lazily slummed her way back to the residence.

Once inside the comfort of her master room she kicked off her heels and unzipped her dress, letting it fall in front of the bed on the floor. She knew she should hang it up since it cost about ten thousand dollars, but she needed to breathe.

Mellie walked to their bathroom in a matching lace strapless black bra and black lace panties. Usually she refrained from being practically naked when Fitz could stroll in at anytime but she knew that he was caught up in other endeavors.

Before she turned to open the shower door and start the running water, Mellie stopped in front of the large mirror to take a good luck at herself. She had always been a curvy woman and she accepted that, she was comfortable with that. But was she just not what he wanted anymore? Was he even the slightest bit attracted to her anymore? She hated asking these questions but sometimes it got the best of her, as it does all of us. Olivia Pope was seven years younger than her, and much more petite. She hated thinking that Fitz was the typical guy who cheated on his wife with someone younger simply because she was younger. That wasn't it, so she didn't blame her body for his affair. She was an attractive woman. Many people thought so, as did she.

Mellie looked at the curves of her breasts, and where here waist clinched in then rounded to her toned thighs. Her hands grazed her collarbone and then over her flat stomach. There was nothing she would change about her body.

She looked down at her painted red nails both on her fingers and toes and then back up at the mirror. She almost jumped at the sight of Fitz staring at her from the frame of the doorway. He was standing in front of their bed where she had just let her dress fall. His vein on the side of his neck was pulsing, and his jaw was clenched. His collar was undone and his tie was nowhere to be found. By the looks of his torn face, she knew that they had fought or disagreed on something that had caused him to come back to the residence all before 3 AM.

She turned to him and he looked down her body and then up to her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going to come back up so soon," she whispered as she covered her torso looking for a robe in the bathroom. She realized she hadn't grabbed it from their closet yet and internally cursed.

Fitz approached her with a dark look in his eye, and she had seen it all too many times after they had fought. After he came back to her with lust dripping from his lips. She promised to never let it happen time and time again but it was Fitz.

Mellie walked backwards until her back hit against the counter, and Fitz stood in front of her. His pants hit her bare legs and he leaned down to touch their foreheads. She felt his hands on her waist and tried to move away from his grasp. But his lips met her neck and Mellie momentarily relaxed until she realized this was still all about Olivia.

She pushed him back.

"Second's not the same," Mellie whispered with tears about to flow from her eyes.

Fitz looked at her with conflict in his eyes. Then his hand found the back of her head and Mellie tried to shake her head "no" as he leaned in closer. As one single tear fell down her left cheek, his lips found hers and she felt her knees shake beneath her as he pulled down her underwear.

_I'm sorry but I fell in love tonight._

_I didn't mean to fall in love tonight._

_You're looking like you fell in love tonight._

_Could we pretend that we're in love?_

* * *

_Next chapter will be up soon! -O.M._


	28. The Presidential Suite

**The Presidential Suite  
**

It was August and University had started again. Kelly-Kate and Karen had returned back to Texas and Mellie had started back at work again. She sat in her office flipping through briefings on her desk, sadly not really paying any attention to what she was reading. To be honest she was wasting time until she had to leave to a meeting with other partners in the new _United Education Foundation_, in DC.

It was a start up non-profit to help bring awareness to lower income communities, as well as provide them with grants and scholarships both for the schools and the children. It wasn't her idea, but she was very happy to be asked to participate in such an organization. The founder was someone she admired and felt very lucky to work with.

Her secretary, Lily, knocked on the door and then stuck her head in, "Mellie the planes already at R.I.A, so whenever you're ready." The petite girl smiled one last time and then walked back to her desk outside of Mellie's office.

Mellie gathered her belongings, mostly her purse and leather tote with all the information that would be discussed today. It was a bit chilly so she grabbed her grey trench coat and waved goodbye to Lily, and momentarily closed her eyes preparing for the situations to come.

Her black heels clicked against the pavement and on the metal stairs as she boarded her private plane. Finally in the comfort of her own area she sat down and kicked off her heels, threw her coat on the chair next to her, and rested her head against the soft cushioning. She wanted to change from her maroon dress but the flight was much too short. So she played with her pearls around her neck and grabbed her gold iPhone form her purse. It read her fingerprint and opened with a little swoosh. Mellie clicked on her photos app and scrolled through her "Jo" album.

She was going to be a one year old in three months! Mellie couldn't believe time had flown by so quickly. Jo's hair was already starting to curl like Fitz's, and out of her four children, Jo was looking the most like him than any of the others. Teddy was pretty close but he still had Mellie's blue eyes and almost translucent white skin. But him and Jo were the only one's with light brown hair just like their father.

Mellie smiled at the picture of Jo playing with her toys by the lake, and played the video of her trying to catch bubbles as Teddy blew them in the back yard.

Something had changed within her; the mother gene although still not fully running through her veins, had become more ardent after she met Kyle. Oddly, she will always thank him for that.

Her eyes saddened when the next photo was of Kyle with Jo, strolling around the back yard. It was tough to think of him, especially after Fitz finding out he was the father and their Fourth of July adventure. Mellie felt a pang of guilt in her chest, but no one could ever accuse her of never loving Kyle. Mellie most certainly had been in love with Kyle. She risked a lot for him, and they had the greatest of infinities in the middle of her life.

Her and Fitz had still not discussed telling everyone that Jo was in fact his. It would come up when it was the right time. But was there ever really "a right time"?

Mellie shut her phone off and closed her eyes trying not to think about Kyle. Her anxiety pills were hidden in her purse a long with Excedrin, because if she wasn't freaking out she was stressing out. Fitz still didn't know that she was taking medication and she tried to keep it that way.

The next time Mellie opened her eyes the plane had just touched ground and she started preparing to get off. She slipped on her heels and put on her trench coat knowing that DC was a lot cooler than Virginia. She debated putting her hair up in a ponytail but it would only peeve her once she was in the meeting.

As soon as the door opened to arrive, she felt a cold wind blow threw and clenched her coat around her tighter. She was happy that there were no photographers around as she climbed into the back of a limo tinted black sedan.

They were meeting at the Hay-Adams Hotel, in the Private Dinning Room, for of course dinner and business. Mellie loved that hotel, and rolled her eyes at the President of the foundation choosing it. The sedan pulled up to the entrance of the hotel and her bodyguard walked around to open the car door for her. With a smile on her face she thanked him and walked to the entrance of the hotel lobby.

The mahogany walls and columns, and cream white ceilings with arches every twenty feet welcomed her. Mellie adored the architecture of this hotel so much; she wished she had thought to rent a suite just for the night.

At the sight of the Senator of Virginia, the concierge walked quickly from the back of the counter and greeted her, "Mellie! It's been too long, the Presidential Suite has missed you my dear." The middle-aged man with rounded penguin glasses, a baldhead, and lightly grown beard embraced her, and she hugged him back.

"Oh Patrick do you think you could kick out whoever is staying in it tonight? I forgot to tell Lily my secretary to book it, I assumed it was too late anyway" she touched his shoulder, leaned in and whispered, "and I don't have the pull I used to anymore."

They both threw their head back and chuckled like a clique in high school, laughing at something you so eagerly wanted to know. "Only for you would I tell Bono that the air-condition has stopped working and he would feel much more comfortable in the Federal suite."

Mellie laughed sweetly again, "Oh and don't forget-"

"Meryl!" he threw his head back and wiped at the buds of sweat he was building on his forehead from blushing too hard, "I'm sorry Mrs. Streep a pipe busted and we're trying to control the situation," Patrick held onto his left lung from the side stitch that was being created slowly. "The things I have done for you Ms. Mellie!"

Mellie smiled and touched his forearm, "How's Claire?"

His face saddened a bit, but he quickly plucked up and pushed his glasses forward towards his nostrils, "She's fighting. It's been dormant for a long while, with this new treatment their trying, but we're just afraid it will spike again. Her lungs still suck, but they suck less with the medication."

"I have to take Jo to see her, Claire is always so joyful around children and much more playful than I am," Mellie joked running a hand threw her hair but her eyes had dilated a bit from the thought of her deceased husband.

Patrick looked at her silently and this time reached for her shoulder, "He looked like a good man Mellie."

"We didn't even have a real wedding," Mellie whispered as she blinked water away from her eyes and then changed the tone like any good politician would, "if we had, you know you would have been first on my wedding planner list, and I would expect nothing but the Lafayette room."

"Oh darling the pink carnations and white roses, with gold ribbon lining – don't even get me started," he smiled as they shared a moment together. "Are you here for the _United Education Foundation_ dinner meeting?"

Mellie's eyes sparked up, "Yes I am, I just haven't seen anyone and I might be a bit too early but hey if you're on time your late. My southern self learned quite a bit of manners growing up."

Patrick cracked a smirk, "I would expect nothing less from you Ms. Mellie." He began leading her to the private dining room while keeping conversation; "I can get you the Presidential suite if you really want it tonight. I don't care much for the guest who booked it just for tonight and our Lafayette suite just opened up . . ."

Mellie looked sideways at him with wide eyes as they walked down the dimly lit hallways, "Patrick you spoil me . . ." she paused and whispered, "How much don't you like them?"

He chuckled, "Consider it done Mellie. I'll also tell Claire to come by early in the morning before you leave." With that he opened the door to the dining room and Mellie heard the rumble of voices speaking in an even tone, it all kind of sounded like a buzz of bees. She kissed Patrick on the cheek thanking him one last time and then waltzed into the bright room. It had white walls all around and the single glass chandelier hanging in the middle of the dining table that held twelve people, six on each side.

She found her name on the one of the little paper folded pieces above her plate and placed her belongings on the chair, not bothering to look at who was seated next to her.

"You mother fucking bitch," she heard someone gasp behind her and Mellie couldn't believe the audacity someone had to talk to her like that. Mellie whipped her head with a growl ready to escape her throat and then her eyes met the green of a woman she hadn't seen in years. They kept in touch via e-mail, messages, and phone calls but never in person. She looked the same with her perfect white smile, wrinkles by her eyes from her always present laughter, her rose lips, and short blond hair. The girl before her put down her champagne next to Mellie and they threw their arms around each other.

"You're the bitch," Mellie said to her as they embraced, Mellie felt her heart soar, "you didn't tell me you were back from England!"

Meredith shook her head, "I'm not – I was just invited to be a partner with this foundation and I accepted on the behalf of my company."

"You might as well file for residence in London already," Mellie growled as they finally stepped away from each other. Meredith had never left Mellie's side, but she had her own adventurous life to live and Mellie never felt the need to bother her about Olivia issues because Mellie was a strong woman. But she forgot how good it felt to just have someone listen to her and call on her bullshit.

"Did you get the Cath Kidston set I sent to Jo? It's the same that Kate Middleton got for her baby. I figure they'll meet someday and have a cute photo shoot with George who will fall in love with Jo eventually."

Mellie laughed, "I did get it – from you . . . and Kate. She thought it would be cute too."

Meredith gasped, "That bitch. I was trying to be very English and classy by spending loads of cash on a one year old."

"Also, don't be trying to set up my daughter with the future King of England, they'll have a heart attack if we ruin their monarchy."

"Jo would get shit done."

"She's barely going to turn one, Mer?"

"Bitches get stuff done."

"Please refrain from calling my child a bitch."

"Sorry I get back into America and my cursing just unleashes."

"God I've missed you," Mellie smiled and she finally took a good look around the room. Her eyes met with the person she had been feeling guilty for wanting to see, and she surely didn't want to make it obvious with Meredith standing right in front of her.

His eyes flashed to hers while talking to the governor of Arkansas, and he tried his best to look away without smiling. Mellie's eyes flashed back to Meredith and she saw him approaching them only seconds after, he took a sip of his champagne and Mellie could see his red tie poking through his dark blue suit.

Then he was next to Meredith, "Ladies thank you for accepting your invitation to join us this evening. I hope everything is going well."

"Cut the politician crap Garfield," Meredith rolled her eyes. And Mellie almost spit out her champagne at the nickname she hadn't heard in years.

Fitz looked at Meredith with an irritated eyebrow, "I still don't understand how you derived that nickname from my actual name, it makes no sense."

"It's not supposed to, so how's my favorite adulterous man whore?" Meredith smiled sipping her alcohol slyly. Mellie's eyes turned wide and she looked at Fitz, who shook his head back and forth.

"I have definitely not missed you at all. I am glad you live an ocean away," Fitz said knowing that everything between the three of them was all jokes . . . and stabs . . . but jokes in the end.

"Oh Garfield, I was rooting for you, truly," Meredith punched his side playfully and Mellie had flashes of the three of them when they were younglings in University. "I did see the video when your press secretary smacked the shit out of you though. So that made up for a lot of me hating you. But damn Garfield, you seize to amaze me sometimes."

Fitz laughed trying to make light of that dark night where he was drunk beyond words saying things he both regretted and didn't regret, shaming Mellie and Olivia was something he regretted. He also hated the way he told Olivia he wanted a divorce, it wasn't right and cause more problems.

"I fucked up. I also told the NSA to take that video down from everywhere, they must be really busy with – oh I've said too much," he widened his eyes looking around.

Meredith looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "You're kidding me. Aliens? Terrorists? What the fuck Garfield, you're joking right?" she looked between him and Mellie waiting for an answer. They both gave her wide-eyed looks.

"Am I?" Fitz said sipping the golden sparkling liquid.

Meredith looked at Mellie for an answer but she sipped her champagne in the same manner as Fitz, they were such a good team.

"I hate the both of you. Live in some big white house, with scary men that have ear pieces, making universal decisions, and suddenly Meredith isn't trust worthy," she waved her hands in the air sarcastically as she walked away from them to the cubes of cheese, and other food items cut into squares to look aesthetically pleasing, table.

Fitz and Mellie laughed as they watched Mellie's semi-drunk best friend stick a cube of Swiss Jalapeño in her mouth and then gag at the taste, looking for a napkin to throw the regurgitated cheese in. Fitz turned back to Mellie and finally got to smile at her the way he had been wanting to the entire time.

"Stop it," Mellie scolded him, "I'm supposed to hate you remember?"

"Do you?" Fitz smirked as he put hit chute down on a tray next to them and grabbed another glass.

Mellie looked over at Meredith and back to him, "Of course not." She paused and looked around and then back at him, "Thank you for-" she pointed her chin toward Meredith who was making fake nice with the governor of Arkansas wife.

Fitz chuckled, "You needed to see her . . . and just like you, if it's not work related it's very hard to get Meredith to take a flight across the Atlantic Ocean just because her best friend's adulterous man whore ex-husband asked her to."

"Fitz-" Mellie started but was quickly shut down by his voice.

"And she's a kick ass business lawyer that will make a difference in this foundation. So no Mels, I didn't simply invite her because I knew you needed a girl friend, I just knew it was a great opportunity for the both of you."

Mellie looked at him and tried not to show too much adornment in her eyes as she nodded and walked away from his tall stature. If she kept too close to him all night, people would notice and start talking. The quote from _The Great Gatsby _ran threw her brain, "I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there's no privacy." Mellie called herself a nerd and made her rounds around the room saying hello to different people.

Then Fitz took his seat at the dinner table and everyone followed him. As everyone was settled he got up from his chair across from Mellie in the middle of the dining table. "I want to thank everyone for committing to join this wonderful foundation on behalf of myself and my ex-wife who will be Vice President of the foundation."

Mellie's eyes widened at his announcement, he hadn't told her she had snagged that position and she hated him for putting her on the spot in front of the ten other members. So she did what politicians did best and _smiled._ Wide and painful. Meredith looked at Mellie through her peripherals and kicked her under the table for not letting her know.

"I understand it seems odd for the both us to be in charge of a foundation together, but regardless me and Mellie have always been a great team and we intend on making this education foundation the best country wide."

He looked at Mellie for a brief second and then continued, "Each and everyone of you was hand selected for your qualities and belief in the betterment of bringing up the equality in opportunity. Which if I do say so myself sounds like a damn good slogan, so Jesse write that down," he laughed while pointing to a younger man sitting three seats down, the Public Relations/ Media Management head operator he had hired. Everyone laughed at Fitz's joke and let him end his quick speech, "But in all seriousness, thank you for climbing on board."

With that everyone clinked their glasses and waiters began bringing out the food. Everyone was distracted by the deliciously looking food that Mellie and Fitz had a second to exchange a look, "You're so dead," she mouthed at him and Fitz replied, "You're so beautiful." Mellie blushed, and then smiled at the waiter placing her plate in front of her. Meredith caught the tiny conversation between the two and kicked Mellie under the table before placing her napkin on the table and excusing herself.

Mellie looked down at her food as her stomach growled, but then rolled her eyes as she got up to follow Meredith to the ladies room like a couple of high school seniors.

As soon as she entered the pristine ladies room, she found Meredith crossing her arms in front of her tapping her foot waiting for Mellie impatiently. Before Mellie could speak Meredith whispered harshly, "You're fucking Garfield again aren't you?!"

Mellie's eyes grew wide and she tried to think of a way to explain to Meredith how complicated the situation was, "Mer . . . I – we're not having sex."

"Well then what the fuck was that shit?!" Meredith waved her hands in the air. Mellie looked underneath the stalls and then around the bathroom. She didn't trust it. So she grabbed her best friends hand and walked her down the hall to the "Hay-Adams Room", there was a wedding reception going on and the lights were practically turned off for the dance floor. No one a part of the wedding party noticed as the two women walked to the end of the room where there were French doors opening to a balcony that had the perfect view of the White House and Washington Monument. Mellie regretted not bringing her coat because it was chilly, but her nerves were making her feel hot anyway.

Mellie closed the doors, then she and Meredith leaned against the railing and Mellie ran a hand through her hair not knowing where to begin. With a sigh she looked at the flags waving from the top of the White House and started with Vermont, leading all the way up to the present and not leaving out a single detail. Both girls had forgotten about their presence being needed at the foundation dinner, and particularly they really didn't care.

When Mellie finished she looked over at Meredith awaiting a reaction. Her best friends blond hair whipped through the wind and her green eyes continued to stare out into the city. As Meredith finally decided to turn to Mellie someone opened the balcony doors, both women jumped and then relaxed when they saw it was just some waiters. They had a tray of cake slices and offered Pistachio and Red Velvet to the two ladies.

"Is there any Vanilla?" Meredith asked pursing her lips, not really enjoying the extravagant choices the unknown bride and groom had made. Meredith was a rather simple girl.

Mellie rolled her eyes and said, "she'll take Red Velvet and I will as well." The young waiters both nodded their head up and down and handed the women their chosen pastry. They closed the door on the way back into the party and Meredith stuck her fork into the cake before shoving a large amount of it between her lips.

With a full mouth she looked up at her best friend eating her cake more properly than she was, "Well shit Mels, when are you going to tell Kyle's family that Jo isn't his? The media adores the King family, it will ruin you."

"I know that Mer!"

"Hey, hey don't get sassy with me, you made this mess and you need to fix it." She said as she scooped another piece of cake into her mouth, "Or hire someone to fix it."

Mellie's lips pursed as she waited for her best friend to look up at her. Meredith swallowed her piece of cake and then realized what idea Mellie already had brewing in her mind. "You wouldn't," Meredith said letting her shoulder shrug forward in disbelief.

"She's the best Mer," Mellie sighed as she stuck a fork into her piece of red velvet, "and she already helped at Kelly-Kate's graduation."

"She doesn't know about Vermont Mellie, if you – if she finds out that Garfield had sex with you when they were still married and _you _got pregnant with his child _once again_ after she so badly wanted to have children with him. That – ugh Mellie that makes you equal and maybe a worse mistress than she was because you got _fucking knocked up_."

Mellie suddenly had a rage in her from the truth Meredith was spouting and groaned as she threw her cake over the balcony, "Oh for fucks sake! I was married to the man for twenty-five years how _am I worse than Olivia bloody Pope?!_"

Meredith raced to the edge of the balcony and watched as the cake hit the floor, "Hey! That was good cake!"

"You wanted Vanilla!"

"Cake is fucking cake!"

The two women looked at each other and then cracked up. It had been a while since Mellie and Meredith felt their hearts unleash. Then Meredith grabbed her hand, "You are so fucked."

Mellie laid her head down on her best friends shoulder as Meredith patted her back, "I know."

"If you need to flee the country I will accept you as my roommate."

"Not a chance in hell," Mellie laughed as the two women held hands and walked out of the balcony and wedding room, once again unnoticed and down the hall to the dining area. It seemed everyone was already done and chatting over dessert and Mellie and Meredith laughed at their lack of proper eating that night.

Fitz caught Mellie's eyes immediately upon their entrance back into the dining area and he was angry, she could tell. They must have been gone at least an hour and a half. It made the foundation look questionable if the Vice-President couldn't stick around for the most part of the meeting. But she needed to tell Meredith everything and Fitz was the one who elected her without her consent so he could deal with it.

"Did I miss some good gossip in the ladies room?" the head of the United States Library Association smiled as she chewed on some chocolate fudge cake.

"Nothing you couldn't read in a Nicholas Sparks book Rita," Meredith smirked annoyingly and grabbed her fork to enjoy the strawberry cheesecake placed in front of her.

"Oh those are quite fantastic," Rita grinned as she enjoyed another piece of her cake. Mellie and Meredith snickered at the older lady not catching on to the satirical comedy both women had in common.

Fitz stuck his nose in, "Well Mellie could help him write one of those," he smiled and sipped what looked like bourbon and Mellie narrowed her eyes at the dark liquid, _so he ordered a drink_. Then Fitz continued, "his stories almost always involve a terrible death and some man who served for the country. Mellie has first hand experience with both, so she can shoot two birds with one stone and it will help her run for President all in the same."

Everyone seated at the table stopped what they were doing momentarily and looked at Fitz, shocked at the words that had just left his mouth.

"That's what you want right?" Fitz asked as he sipped his bourbon and scooped a piece of cheesecake into his mouth. "A New York Times Bestseller on the memoir of your dead American hero of a husband, who stole your heart all in the matter of a year and a half. That's gold, that's a second act, and America loves a second act doesn't it Mellie?"

Mellie looked at him with tears threatening to fall down her eyes, she wanted to find words to spout at him but she was paralyzed under his smug face.

"And Jo!" Fitz laughed, "How can you forget to mention the cherry on top of how amazing this story is? I'd buy your book in a heartbeat Mellie. You know what, in fact I will have some one write it for you just because it seems like such a great idea. Rita you know countless publishing companies and authors don't you?" he smiled and Rita looked between both Fitz and Mellie, not wanting to give an answer.

Mellie suddenly threw her napkin onto the table and whispered, "Excuse me," before she grabbed her purse, tote, and coat and walked out of the room.

Meredith kicked Fitz under the table and he looked up at her, "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" she mouthed to him. It suddenly dawned on him that he had just made a huge mistake in taking out the anger of the foundation looking bad on Mellie. He had brought Meredith here so she could talk some of the stuff out, without fear of hurting Fitz's feelings, but they could have done it some other time in his eyes. Not when he needed them both to be cheerful members.

He stood up and said, "excuse me," and then tried to find where Mellie went.

"Now this is what I signed up for," a member of the foundation mused and Meredith took a strawberry from her plate and chucked it at his head.

"Best friend is still in the room so cool it Fabio," she growled.

Fitz walked down the hallway and Patrick was walking opposite of him. He waved him down and Patrick reluctantly went over to the taller man. "Yes, Mr. Grant?"

Fitz ran a hand threw his hair and placed the other on his hip as he asked, "have you seen Mellie she left in a rush and I just need to talk to her."

Patrick smiled, "She's in the Presidential suite."

Fitz raised his eyebrow in confusion, "But that's my suite, why would she-"

"No you're in the Lafayette suite tonight sir?"

"No I specifically got the Presidential suite because it's Mellie's favorite-"

"Well one way or another she's in there . . . so job well done for Patrick?"

"What was the reason you were going to tell me why I had to be switched?" Fitz questioned narrowing his eyes down at the man with dark brown glasses.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out," Patrick smiled and began to walk away.

Fitz turned and spoke loudly, "How do you know it would have worked?"

"It always does!" Patrick waved his hand continuing down the hall back to his front desk.

Fitz shook his head in disbelief and walked to the elevator. Once inside he pressed the highest floor level where the suite resided and felt a heavy weight placed upon his chest. He had to stop doing this. He had to stop taking stabs at her and ask her why she was hurting so much.

The elevator dinged and as soon as there was enough room for him to slide through he raced to the white wooden door that read "_Presidential Suite_". He knocked on it and heard nothing from the other side, but he knew she was in there. He knocked again, "Mellie please answer the door. I can smell your perfume from outside . . ."

Mellie finished swallowing two anxiety pills, throwing the bottle back into her purse and then threw her purse onto the bed, not noticing as some of her stiff spilled out. She then walked back and forth in front of the closed door.

"Mels," he sighed as he leaned his forehead and right arm on the door, "baby I'm sorry, please open the door."

She hated him for what he said tonight but the sound of his voice only separated by three inches of wood was making it hard for her to keep him at that distance.

"I can hear you pacing baby," he groused as he touched the door with both his palms now, his forehead still against the hard surface.

"Mellie Ray," he murmured one last time in plea for her to open the door. Her head whipped up at the use of her nickname and she bit her lip now standing still in front of the large white square with one eyehole. With a shaky left hand she opened it and faced him with resentment in her stormy blue eyes. She crossed her arms in front of her body and he frowned down at her, "Baby . . ." he whispered as he moved to embrace her. He put his right hand behind her head and his fingers laced in between her curls, he brought her to his chest and heard her mumble, "Why would you say those things Fitz? And in front of everyone?" she pushed him back and he looked down at the ground.

"I got angry Mels," he said looking back up at her.

"Well isn't that always it Fitzgerald? You going to get angry and tell CNN or FOX News that your Jo's father next time?"

He looked around the hallway knowing that they were the only suite on this floor but he still felt a lack of security, "Can I come in?"

Mellie opened up the pathway she had been blocking and then closed the door after he entered the room. He turned to her, "I know I get angry and I react irrationally."

"Understatement," Mellie said in a clipped tone.

"I was just angry because I knew you were talking and telling everything to Meredith. Which I expected, but you guys did it in the middle of an important event and you're much more professional than that Mellie."

"She's my best friend and you know Meredith . . . she would not have waited until after dessert! Plus it was because of you that she caught on anyway! If you wouldn't have called me beautiful at the dinner table she would have never guessed."

Fitz stared at her with a grimace on his face and a "really Mellie?" look in his eyes.

"Okay she would not have guessed so soon. But it was because of you that we had to run off so suddenly."

Fitz put his hands on his hips and Mellie loved the way the blue suit was hugging his body. The red tie gave him a powerful presence and she knew he got the idea from her. His curls were loosely placed in perfect position and Mellie disliked herself for admiring the jerk before her.

"I think my jealousy and anger mixed for a bad combination of cruel words that I am deeply sorry for."

Mellie's eyebrow perked up, "Jealousy?"

He looked up at her and then sat down on the edge of the bed, opposite of where she had just thrown her purse. He placed his head in his hands and Mellie looked down at him as he mumbled, "You forgot that I'm an American hero too. I was in the Navy and I wasn't no god damn sniper shooter but I was trained just as much and just as well."

Mellie couldn't help but giggle at the sight before her eyes, the ex-President of the United States feeling jealous a tad too late, "Fitz I never compared the both of you." His eyes shot up to meet hers and he had a quizzical look upon his face, "The both of you are different people and came into my life at different moments. I never sat and thought of which one of you was better because I didn't bother to compare. It wouldn't be right to either of you."

Suddenly Fitz attacked Mellie and grabbed her by her waist bringing her in between his legs. She stumbled laughing at his quick gesture, and he grabbed the back of her neck bringing her face near his. Their noses were touching when he said, "You're too good for me."

"Damn right," Mellie smirked as her hands linked behind his neck. She was practically on his lap as he kissed her and the both felt tension flow down their bodies. Fitz pushed himself back on the bed and Mellie climbed on top of him as they fell back still attached at the lips. Her hands roamed up and down his chest as she pushed off his suit coat.

Fitz grabbed her waist and pushed her down on him missing the way she felt against his body. He felt her fingers working on undoing his tie and then his dress shirt; he unzipped the back of her maroon dress. As he slid the material off her body and saw she was wearing matching maroon lace undergarments he grabbed a hold of her and flipped them over. He kissed down her body and relished in the feeling of her smooth skin against his pink lips.

As his right arm tried to help him find balance above her, a cylinder case was digging into his fore arm. He took a moment to lift himself up by his abs and grab the orange bottle from underneath his arm.

All he read in the heat of the moment was "DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN 4 PILLS EVERY 24 HOURS" his eyes flickered down at Mellie who hadn't noticed what he was holding. With a push off of her, he stood in front of the half-naked ex-first lady of the United States. She abruptly sat up and wondered why he had gotten off from above her.

"What the hell are these?" he lifted the bottle of pills up to the light and the image finally registered into Mellie's head. She got up immediately and tried to reach for the tiny orange cylinder. He held it far above his head and looked down at Mellie with anger written on his face. "What pills are you taking Mellie?" he growled, as she stood in front of him helpless.

"I- They're for my anxiety," she crossed her arms in front of her torso and looked down at the ground, not being able to stare at Fitz in the face.

His heart hurt from the story Olivia told her about Mellie trying to take her own life when they lived back in California. He knew she was hurting and healing at the same time, but he didn't want her to ever think to take that route again. Even if to her it meant being with _him _again.

Mellie stood in front of him with his silence and knew he was thinking about California.

"I'm not saving them to kill myself Fitz . . ."

"Don't fucking lie to me Mellie. Don't you dare lie to me."

Mellie looked up at him and knew no matter what she said she could never erase the story of her laying flat on the ground of the governor's mansion, pale as snow.

"You're not allowed to leave me," Fitz croaked as his hands fell down to his sides. "You're not allowed to leave me again, not after everything we've been through."

"Fitz," Mellie whispered as she approached his half naked body. "Baby," she touched his cheek with her right hand and made him look down at her, "I am not going anywhere."

"You don't get to leave me Mels," he rasped as a look of pure torment had taken over his face. Mellie touched every frown and wrinkle with her right hand fingers, until she felt him relax in her arms. She felt him let the bottle of pills go and the clattered on the floor.

She brushed his lips and whispered, "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

_To be continued from this moment in the next chapter. Love you guys!_


	29. To You

_YES I KNOW THE WORLD IS ENDING AND I FEEL LIKE A TERRIBLE HUMAN BEING. _

_Hello all, I am truly sorry for taking so long. I was at the end of my internship and starting university again has really taken over my life. (I am taking 18 hours, and a part of two clubs with leadership roles so my plate is pretty full). So with that I have bad news. I may only upload once or twice a month, unless I get this urge **and time** to write sporadically let it be known that I will publish every month on the 24th **for sure**. I do not like writing with out a point and I do not like to be rushed at writing because then you are getting quantity and not quality. I like to take pride in my work and I don't want to just give you some pointless as shit conversations between my beloved characters._

_I am still **very** invested in this story and am brainstorming how the hell I'm going to bring it to an end. Mellie has so much potential and her relationship with Fitz will finally hit its peak. _

_I adore you all, and am very thankful that so many of you have not given up on me just yet. So I will gladly use JK Rowling right now. _

_The dedication of this book (fanfiction) is split seven ways.  
_ _To Neil_  
_To Jessica_  
_To David_  
_To Kenzie_  
_To Di_  
_To Anne_  
_And to You_  
_If you have stuck with Harry (Mellie) until the very end._

**_YOU GET THE POINT._**_ Enjoy!  
_

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

To You

Mellie felt his hands tremble around her waist and his light breath on the top of her nose. They were very close but their lips seized to touch just yet. A few minutes ago she was jumping him in bed and now she couldn't find it in her to make the first move.

"Say it again," he whispered as his fingers tightened around her hipbones. She felt soft to him and goose bumps rose on her bare skin. Mellie smirked and their noses pecked for the skinniest moment. Her blue eyes looked up at him and they weren't the soft sea green she was used to. They didn't look like the identical innocent orbs of their youngest child. They were lost and to be honest a bit frustrated. Fitz grabbed her by the waist with more force and pushed their torsos together, until they could literally feel the body heat between them. "I want you to say it again Mels," he said in a more even tone, the tips of his fingers running against the backside edge of her maroon panties.

Mellie's breath hitched at the slight intrusion of touch. Fitz heard her inhale a shaky breath before she placed her palms on the top of his chest. Throwing her head side to side to shake off some adrenaline running through her veins, she sighed and ran one finger down the middle of his body. Her single black nail was grazing against his skin slowly and just before she hit his belly button she stopped and looked up at him, only to find that he was already staring down at her with hungry eyes.

"Mellie," his voice came out hoarse, "I need to hear you say it one more time."

Mellie smiled again and finally answered, "No."

Fitz's eyes grew wide and his pupils dilated madly. "No?" he scoffed and wanted to be angry at her refusal, but he saw a glimmer in her eye and Fitz knew she was having fun with this. He felt like putty in her hands.

"Tell me something Fitzgerald . . . Thomas . . . Grant . . . the third," Mellie said his name poking him with her fingernail after each enunciation. She started walking at him, making him walk backwards straight into a white washed wall. Her hips swayed side to side until she stopped them mere centimeters from his own.

"Mr. Grant is it true that you can make leaders of the free world tremble at the sound of your voice and steps as you walk in the door?" Mellie cracked a lop sided grin and pressed her chest against him.

Fitz looked down at her with need in his eyes, enjoying this game she was playing, "Yes, it's true."

"Mr. Grant is it true that with one smile you can make women and men weak at the knees?" Mellie asked as she reached around and unhooked the back of her bra, letting it hit their feet and kicking it a side.

Fitz gulped at the feeling of her breasts against him and smiled, "Yes. It's true."

He felt her fingers tease the elastic band of his underwear and she breathed close to him, "Mr. Grant is it true that –"

"I love Melody Rayna Grant?" he cut her off and with out a moments notice he grabbed her waist and flipped them, as she was now the one pushed up against the wall. Mellie's face was flushed at the sudden contact and she grabbed onto the elastic band harder, pulling it against her.

"Yes, Mr. Grant is it true that you love Melody Rayna," Mellie paused shortly, knowing full well that he changed her last name on purpose, " . . . me?" She tugged down wards, and he aided in kicking off his briefs. Mellie immediately felt him against her stomach and tried to control herself.

"More than anything in the world," Fitz growled as he pushed himself closer to her. His fingers ran through the inside of her panties and he pulled down. Mellie felt them slide against her legs until they reached her toes and she kicked them on the pile with the other intimates.

"Would you risk the world for me Fitzgerald?" Mellie whispered as she ran her hands up his chest and linked them behind his neck.

"Would you?" he countered as he reached down to grab the back of her right thigh and bring it up to curl around his waist.

Mellie finally answered him, "I'm not going anywhere."

Immediately his lips met hers and it had only been minutes ago when they were making out on the bed but she already missed the feeling of them on her mouth. Mellie felt his hands gripping at her legs and suddenly she was holstered up against the wall with both of her thighs wrapped around him. Fitz held her hands above her head as he lowered his to kiss her neck.

Mellie couldn't help the moans escaping from her lips, as he lowered her down to stand up on her two feet. Before she could whine about the space, he was kneeling in front of her kissing her center. By reaction her right hand found his head of curls and she opened wider for him as she threw her head back in pleasure.

Fitz relished in the feeling of Mellie's fingers pulling at his curls, truth was he knew they drove her insane in bed when they were a mess. He suddenly stood up and with out much warning grabbed her waist and back of her neck to bring him fully against his body. He kissed her like his life depended on it, and she felt his mouth overwhelm her own.

Her toes curled as he gripped harder at her waist and they fought with their tongues until she pushed him away. Mellie continued to push and push until the back of his knees hit the edge of the bed and he fell backwards.

Fitz looked up at her with hungry eyes and it felt like a new beginning. They weren't "The Grants" in the White House. They were Fitz and Mels, and if he really wanted to admit it – it reminded him of their time in her apartment back in college. He wished that they had never changed into the people they had been a few years ago, he wished that the seasons hadn't changed that bad, he wished they were the perfect couple who didn't throw things at each other in anger. He wished he hadn't been weak, and hadn't made Mellie weak in return for his affair. But in honesty they grew even more as their own people than they had in their California home.

Suddenly Fitz lost the heat in his eyes and Mellie stopped right before she was about to climb on top of him. He sat up and pulled her to him, and sensually ran his hands up and down her sides. His face up front with her stomach, he kissed her gently and anywhere his lips could reach.

Mellie slowly put her legs by his sides and their warmth met in the middle. She lowered her head to look into his green eyes and they both were in a vulnerable stage.

"I want to be there," Fitz whispered as Mellie ran her hands up and down his bare shoulders.

"For what?" she asked stunned at his sudden request.

"When you become President of the United States," he said and her breath hitched. With out thought, her immediate reaction was to kiss him and he kissed her back with the same amount fervor she was putting into their kiss.

"I want you there Fitz . . . more than anything," Mellie whispered, as their lips brushed with every word. Her blue eyes shone with water and Fitz didn't mean to make her cry. But he felt it; all the walls in between them were breaking. The walls were finally broken and he had triumphed. Fitzgerald Grant had full access to her heart. Something she had hid from everyone since she could remember.

She lowered him back down on his back and continued to kiss him, as joyful tears ran down her eyes and Fitz held her face, with a quizzical look.

"What is it Mellie? Have I done something?"

"No," she smiled "I'm just . . . I finally have you I can feel it . . . and I'm so happy. I am so happy."

Fitz grinned at her words and felt a tear slip down the side of his face from his right eye. He turned them over and ran a finger down her body, until it slipped into her and Mellie's breath hitched. Fitz attacked her neck with soft kisses as he made her moist.

Finally they locked eyes and Fitz entered her. It took them merely a second to adjust but Mellie's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she missed him. Fitz touched their foreheads as he moved in her and Mellie moaned eagerly. She really thought she should try to be more quiet but they were the only one's on this floor.

Fitz increased his pace and he knew they weren't going to be long. He felt Mellie arch her back into him and he took the window to grab at her arse and plunge himself deeper into her. Her knees felt like they were shaking and Mellie grabbed at his back, leaving marks from his shoulder blades to his lower back.

With one last thrust they both reached their climax and Fitz fell on top of her with a light sweat coating his body. Mellie didn't want him to pull out, because she loved the feeling of them filling each other. So when he tried to rollover she grabbed his butt and forcefully pushed him back in and Fitz laughed as he caught onto her.

"I forgot you liked that," Fitz smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'll have to remind you of a lot of the things I like," Mellie smirked and kissed the end of his chin. She brushed his loose curls out of his face and took a genuine look at the man who had just made her feel on top of the world. Time had made them both older and although it wasn't as she had planned at least Fitz would be the one she got "older" with.

"What are you thinking Mels?" he asked as he pecked her forehead.

"How cute of a grandpa you're going to be," Mellie smiled.

His eyes went wide and he pulled out of her suddenly and Mellie cried at the separation.

"What? Is Karen?!" Fitz practically yelled as his hand found his face.

"No!" Mellie answered quickly, "No! God no!"

Fitz sighed in relief and Mellie cracked up at his mini heart attack. He crawled back to her and undid the covers so they could climb underneath them. With out must though he led onto her and Mellie let him coddle her until the lights in her head shut off for a blissful moment.

As the knock on the door woke both adults up, Fitz merely groaned and turned to cover his face in the pillow. Mellie more prone to answer the calls of reality got up to answer the door. She looked around groggily until finally deciding that a robe would do. She pulled it from the hanging bathroom door and put it around herself.

"Open the door Melody!" Meredith's voice rang on the other side of the door.

"Nooooooo," she heard Fitz groan into the pillow, and like a child he grabbed the blankets and pulled them to cover himself completely.

"Shhhhh," Mellie hushed him as she fixed her hair as much as possible and opened the door slightly. But as she should have expected, Meredith took the inch and pushed the door fully until Mellie almost fell backwards. The blond entered the suite with a bag of bagles and a tray of three coffee's in her hands.

Mellie closed the door rolling her eyes, "well come on in Mer, please it's my pleasure."

"I got you a caramel latté, and Garfield black coffee like his soul."

Meredith placed everything on a tiny wooden table a part of the suite, and took out a bagel. She chewed it and looked at Mellie disheveled and Fitz's poorly hidden body on the bed.

"I'm naked Meredith so unless you want to see my-" Fitz began to mumble, still hidden under the white sheets.

"No please get out slowly, and wiggle around so I get the full view Garfield! I'll be the only one in Washington DC who hasn't!" she answered him simply as she took a bite of her cinnamon bagel.

"Mer!" Mellie gasped, but at the sight of her unoffended best friend, she changed her approach and walked over to have breakfast.

"Close your eyes," Fitz said as he began to peel back the blankets slowly to peek his head out. His green eyes found Meredith's and he hid back under the comforter again. "I said close your eyes!"

"How were you our President for two terms? I don't understand." Meredith rolled her eyes still looking at the outline of his body.

"You didn't even vote trader! Go with your beloved Monarchy!"

"Somebody has issues with Great Britain," Meredith said in a singsong voice.

"Mellie cover her eyes!" Fitz growled as he peeked his head again. Still finding Meredith green ones. "Mellie!"

"God okay," Mellie groaned as she tossed her bagel on the table and got up to cover her blond friends eyes. Meredith squirmed in protest; "No I like making Garfield uncomfortable!"

Fitz quickly got out from his place in the bed and looked for his underwear, he heard Mellie struggling to keep Meredith under reins. He saw the blue boxers and with haste snatched them and made way for the bathroom. Almost there Meredith broke free from Mellie's grasp and caught a glimpse of Fitz's ass.

"I saw the butt! I saw our Forty-fourth Presidents ass!" Meredith cracked up and her and Mellie heard Fitz trip and his the marble floor of the bathroom. They looked at each other and both women cracked up as thei guts made them hits the carpeted floor of the main room.

They held their stomachs, and it had never hurt this much to laugh this hard.

Before they knew it Fitz came out in a long robe and stood looming over them.

He bent down to roll Meredith, and she protested continuing to laugh, "Get out," Fitz tried to say sternly as he continued to attempt and roll her towards the door. He heard Mellie's wheezes, and then turned to find her face flush.

Fitz practically ran to her, "You think that's funny? You think your best friend seeing me naked is funny?" he bent down and began to tickle her. Mellie shook her head and tried to push him away. Fitz laughed and finally stood up, "I never want the two of you in the same country again. You cause too much trouble."

Meredith sat up and so did Mellie finally keeping their laughter's at bay.

"Grade A ass Garfield, I'll tell you that. And I've seen many a man ass in my day." Meredith smirked as she got up to finished her bagel. They all finally settled around the table and enjoyed the simple breakfast.

"I'm actually here to tell you that we have some trouble," Meredith said oddly and turning the feeling of the early morning.

"What do you mean?" Fitz asked as he rose his eyebrow.

"There's paparazzi galore downstairs, and reporters to the maximum. They found out that the two of you were staying here on the same night and well you know how the story goes." Meredith said as she began to play with the lid of her coffee cup.

"Well we had our fundraiser dinner last night so it doesn't look questionable," Mellie answered quickly as her body involuntary leaned forward.

"Yes, but until last night on the records you didn't reserve a room and that looks questionable," Meredith said as she sipped her coffee, looking between the two other adults.

"Well how did they get a hold of the bills?" Fitz asked, as little wrinkles were made on his forehead.

"How do reporters get a hold of anything?" Meredith rolled her eyes, "Humanity sucks. It takes a slip of a hundred dollar bill to the college student receptionist to turn away for a second."

"Fuck me," Mellie whispered she palmed her face.

"Well yah you'll be fucked more than Garfield did last night if we don't come up with a plan," Meredith shrugged her shoulders.

"Listen, I'll just get dressed and leave right now. You two will leave together but wait two hours before you do. Women always take longer and if I waste any more time they'll question me. Since I am a bachelor I should be ought as soon as possible in the morning."

"Sexist," Meredith said slyly, "but I think it will work."

"It better," Mellie sighed and rose from her seat on the table. The anxiety was coursing through her veins. Fitz stood up to comfort her and kissed the side of her cheek.

"I'll see you soon. Don't worry I'll be charming and you just need to act like a clique with Meredith when the paparazzi attacks you. I love you."

Mellie nodded and kissed him back, "I love you too."

The both of them weren't worried, because they knew they would see each other again soon enough.

"Ugh stop it, you two sound like you did in University!"

The two of them looked at her with wide eyes, and then back at each other. _That was the point._


	30. Wake Up When It's Over

**_I apologize for the late post, I was too concerned with the actual premiere of Scandal. Which by the way was superb. Mellie crying? Like my heart broke. Anyways, enjoy this chapter guys._**

**_xoxo, Olive Middleton_**

* * *

**Wake Up When It's Over**

**(Four Years Later)**

Mellie tossed in her bed. She wished that her hand would reach out and feel the warmth of another body next to her. But as she stretched under the lofty comforter all she felt was more cloth.

This room was on the top of her "Things I Hate" list, a long with the clear side of her bathroom and walk in closet that was made for a couple. It was nice to wear her expensive pearls everyday and it was nice to run the country. But it wasn't nice being alone.

Mellie stared at the rose gold watch on top of her nightstand.

She heard his voice from the night he handed her the extravagant and beautiful gift.

_"__Every time you look at this, just remember it's a whole second closer to us being together."_

_"__Fitz . . . don't make me say it please," Mellie whispered as she looked at him with red rimmed eyes. Her lip was quivering and she tried hard not to break down in tears. "We're supposed to be in this together. I'm supposed to share that big white house with you. And it's just never going to work. The optics of our marriage will never work. People are going to see Jo on my hip and I will forever be shunned. If I am ever going to be President of the United States, you won't be there." Mellie shut her eyes almost painfully, and as a cry escaped from her mouth she covered it quickly with her right hand. _

_"__Mellie we've been over this . . ."_

_"__No Fitz! There was a wire in the bedroom and whether we like it or not, our relationship is out there. Jo is out there. Kelly-Kate has not returned my phone calls and I am on the cover of every trash magazine in the country. If I am ever going to be President of the United States I need to make everything right, and that includes distancing you, forever."_

_Mellie threw the watch back in the box and shoved it into his abdomen. _

_"__So don't be President of the United States Mellie."_

_"__Excuse me?"_

_"__Don't run."_

_"__Fitz. Don't you dare . . ." Mellie whispered as she turned to face him. The fireplace in her living room was cackling and she could see the outlines of his earned wrinkles by the orange glow. He was in a white dress shirt with the top two buttons undone and his sleeves rolled up._

_"__Don't run in the next election Mellie. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't be President of the United States."_

_"__Leave."_

_"__Mellie, we're a . . . we're a team."_

_"__Not anymore. We're done."_

Mellie felt one tear run down her left cheek and wiped it away. Today was just another day without him. Today was just another day she pretended that him being gone wasn't killing her inside. One month had turned into three months, three months turned into twelve, and then suddenly all of his clothes were shipped across the country. Suddenly Jo and Teddy were going to school in San Francisco, and she was running the country.

She picked up her phone from the nightstand and slid it open. Mellie clicked her Photos app and chose a video of Jo in her Halloween outfit dressed as a lion. It was completely her idea, which always made Mellie laugh. As the video played she heard his voice in the background, "Smile Jo!" she watched as Jo strained her cheek muscles to show every piece of her premature teeth. "Did you take it yet?" he asked and Mellie felt her throat tighten. Then she heard her own voice, "I think so I pressed the button but then it turned red." She watched as Jo continued smiling as best she could into the camera. Then his laughter boomed through the phone's speakers, "Mels you're taking a recording not a photo!" Then there was a mix of their laughter together, the camera shook due to their giggles and then the video was over. The next slide was of course an actual photo of Jo in her lion costume.

It had been six years, and the only time they communicated was when he picked up Jo. He didn't forgive her for her choice of power over love. She didn't know if she forgave herself.

Every time her personal phone rang she wanted it to be him.

Every time she tossed in her bed, she wanted him to shove her and mumble complaints into the darkness.

Every day she moved through the motions. Mellie was good at her job, and she was making history, but it was not what she imagined. She was alone. On top of the world, but alone.

Every day she wore her rose gold watch, and looked at the hands tick until it was the end of her day.

Mellie exited from the Photos app and clicked her contact. Her thumb floated over his name and then she clicked the phone icon.

There were four rings until she heard the line pick up. He said nothing, but she knew he was there.

Mellie said nothing, and hoped that he didn't hang up.

"I made a mistake," she whispered and tried to fight the ugly feeling running through her body. Her lips were quivering as she continued, "We should have been a team. We could've been here as a team. I made a mistake Fitz."

The phone line continued but she was only met with silence on the other end.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything to get him to talk but then he did.

"It wasn't your mistake that brought our love down. It was the hairline cracks that took us to the ground. It just kept creeping over time, spreading like wild fire. It wasn't one big blow that brought our love down. When I was in that house there was so much about you I didn't realize. There was so much about me I couldn't recognize. When you live in that house you can only get a clear view when it's fading in the wind. You start to beg the truth to bend; it's easy to pretend than to see it when you're sober. You only wake up when it's over."

"Fitz I – please – I will give it all up,"

"I won't ask you to do that again Mellie."

"Fitz please," Mellie croaked.

"Goodnight Mels."

She heard the dial tone, and the phone dropped from her hands. Mellie grabbed the closest pillow and muffled her cries as best she could. She sobbed until her body felt weak and the Sunday morning light blessed her eyes.

Mellie got out of bed, and put on a red dress, with black heels. She called in her make up guru and hair stylist, and told her press secretary to set up an interview with Katie Couric for that afternoon. She wanted her face to be all over next weeks news cycle.

Mellie felt her heart rate rise as she sat in front of Katie Couric.

"Madam President, you have been doing an excellent job so far. Making sure that Planned Parenthood was not defunded. Helping aid Syrian refugees find asylum here in the United States. Is there a specific announcement you'd like to cover today?"

"Yes Katie, I know this will be frowned upon seeing as it is a personal matter, but I am tired of letting the press run where my life is going."

"Well what do you mean by that Madam President?"

"The truth about my daughter Jo and my ex-husband Fitzgerald Grant had an excruciating impact on my family and my career. In America, because I can not possibly be in love with the man who divorced and cheated on me, I have given up a part of myself that I want returned. But I am only human, and I am allowed to be in love."

"Are you saying that you still love Fitzgerald Grant?"

"I am saying that I was forced to end a relationship that was frowned upon. I saw what listening to other people but yourself did to my ex-husband and I don't want that to happen to me. If the American people feel that I am not qualified enough to serve as their President because of whom I am in love with then we have much bigger problems than I thought. And for those who think I did not love Kyle King, you are incredibly mistaken. I loved Kyle with my soul and I grew as a person because of him. But I am not going to wait around for someone to allow me the pleasure of being in love."

"I think we all deserve that Madam President."

"Thank you Katie," Mellie smiled and the cameras shut off.

Mellie made her way back to her big white house and knew that her chief of staff was going to have a heart attack at her "emotionally-distressed" interview. But all she hoped was that one person, the only person who mattered, saw the interview.

The interview aired and made prime-time news for two weeks in a row, and surprisingly more people felt like they could connect with Mellie Grant more than ever. But she still had no contact from him.

Mellie was beginning to lose hope once three weeks had passed. It was a hail Mary of all sorts, but she really thought her vulnerability all across America like never before would spark something in him.

As she walked down the hallway to the oval office in the middle of the night, she wished she could sleep. But there was no point in even trying nowadays. The one secret service agent nodded his head at her as she entered her office in grey cotton shorts, an oversized white sweater, and crew cut red fuzzy socks. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun, and her glasses were placed perfectly on the bridge of her nose.

Her breath caught as she saw him toying with things on her desk. His back was facing her, and he was dressed in casual jeans and a grey cotton t-shirt.

"Man if Cyrus was your Chief of Staff your head would be on a stake for all of town square to see."

"Thank God he's not."

Fitz finally turned around and Mellie couldn't contain the butterflies and flutters running through every inch of her body. His hair was getting grey and but not any less curly. His deep green eyes looked at her and he felt it to. The string between each other becoming elastic, pulling the other closer and closer.

They slowly moved towards each other, until Mellie stood in front of him. "I am so sorry Fitz. I really am, I don't even – I can't even begin to-"

"I'm here Mellie, I'm here," Fitz shushed her anxious words and pulled her into his body. Mellie hugged him tighter than she ever had before and vowed to never let him go again.

"You're here. You're really here," she murmured and felt his lips on her head. Mellie looked up at him and for the last time blue met green as the final fire was put out.

"Is this how you imagined it?" Fitz mumbled as he leaned closer to her lips.

"This is all I've ever imagined it to be," Mellie murmured brushing their mouths, "I love you Fitz."

Fitz smiled and answered her back, "I love you too Mellie Ray and I am so proud of you. My brilliant," he kissed her chin, "beautiful," he kissed her nose, "crazy," he kissed her forehead, "wife."

"And . . ." Mellie prodded him with a gleaming smile. Fitz looked down to find them standing on the Presidential seal.

"And . . . my . . . Madam President," Fitz whispered as he picked her up and kissed her. Mellie wrapped her legs around his waist and he sat her on the edge of the desk.

"I guess all that estrogen on the seal worked," Mellie giggled as his hand rubbed up and down her back.

"I guess it did."

"Show me just how well it worked," Mellie whispered as she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him towards her.

FIN

* * *

**_I know, I know don't kill me. I just felt like this was the right time to end the story guys. It has been an incredible ride and I am so grateful to all of the readers who have been an amazing fan base for this story. This is how I wanted the story to end. I am definitely thinking of new ways to incorporate what's happening in this season into a new story so be on the look out for that. This is honestly a story I am very proud of. It was kind of hard to write towards the end because Fitz was just not the greatest human being this season, especially when I found out he was giving Mellie a divorce. I am never done thinking of stories for these too, but I Wish More Than Anything is complete. Spoiler I was originally supposed to end the story with Fitz finding out about Jo when Mellie was president, and leaving it as a cliff hanger but I just couldn't do that to you guys or myself in the end._**

**_Again thank you guys so much. I look forward to reading some fanfiction by all of you! Especially good Mellie stories!_**

**_-O.M._**


	31. Epilogue (I Wait For You)

_Surprise! I was moved my some amazing fans of this story to write how things went down with the King family. So here it is! I enjoyed writing this immensely and I am so much more at peace. This chapter moved me in such a way, I can't even describe. So enjoy!_

_xoxo, Olive Middleton_

* * *

**Epilogue**

**_Won't You Lay Me Down (I Wait For You)_**

Kelly-Kate ran to her dorm room, with her head down and cap covering her face the best it could. They were yelling at her, telling her awful things, and she wished they would all just do something better with their life. She had not chosen the life of being under the camera, and clearly now it was all anyone cared about.

She had to e-mail her professors that she would be unable to make it to class due to the massive crowds following her around. Even her own roommate had been caught recording her opinion about Mellie and Fitzgerald's night in the hotel. Kelly-Kate attacked her with vicious words and then once she heard the tone of her roommate press "stop" on her iPhone she jumped on her, and wrestled for the rose gold iPhone. By a shove to the gut Kelly-Kate ripped the phone from her hands and deleted the recording.

People she thought were close to her were nowhere to be seen.

Mellie had called her over twenty times a day since The Liberty Report ran the story of the former President of the United States and the current Junior Senator of Virginia having sexual relations once more in Washington D.C. But each time she saw that awful picture of the two of them at her graduation show on her screen, she ended it as soon as it appeared.

Kelly-Kate didn't even know if she was angry, dissatisfied, hurt, or numb to the news. She didn't give herself time to understand the whirlwind of emotion that was flowing through her brain and heart. All she knew was the answer button was never going to be slid as long as it was Mellie on the other line.

She swiped her ID to enter her new dorm facility. The University accommodated her situation rather quickly by giving her a vacant room they usually used to show interested students. The paparazzi weren't allowed to enter the building and she couldn't ever be more thankful for that.

She walked up the stairs to the third floor and was surprised to see a solemn face holding a bag of donuts from Round Rock, TX. They had the best from all over the state, and Kelly-Kate had to admit that was her favorite sweet treat.

"So she sent you huh?" Kelly-Kate said flatly, staring at the blue eyes somberly looking back at her. The bag of treats was slowly lowered with the girl's shoulders shrugging forward in despair.

"No, I haven't spoken to her actually. She calls but I ignore it. My dad calls also and well it's always been easier to not answer him."

Karen leaned against the wall, throwing her head back with a little groan. She was clearly just as frustrated with the whole fiasco as Kelly-Kate. Her annoyance made Kelly-Kate sigh and open the door to her dorm, allowing her stepsister to enter the small place.

They both silently sat on the bed and grabbed a donut from the bag.

"You know I am never going to forgive your mom right? I am never going to look at her the same ever again. I will never forgive them for what they did," Kelly-Kate said almost nonchalantly as she stared onto the blank wall behind Karen. She hadn't even thought to put up her tapestry, or posters, along with everything else she had in her previous dorm.

Karen nodded silently at her sister's words. It wasn't her time to share how she felt about the subject. This was about the effect it had on Kelly-Kate. Karen was already used to the fiascos both her mother and father always seemed to put themselves in, so all she could do was decide not to involve herself. Could a child be disappointed in her own parents? The answer was yes. Hell yes. She knew that they were screwing around but you would think they would be smart enough to check for wires in the bedroom, or at least have their security detail check for wires.

"How's Emily?" Karen whispered.

Kelly-Kate scoffed, "How do you think my mom is? She is absolutely disgusted with Mellie. She doesn't even want to look at Jo. Jo isn't my sister now you know that right? I have no relations to Jo, and I don't want to have anything to do with that child-"

"It's not Jo's fault Kelly-Kate-"

"Shutup Karen, I DON'T EVER WANT TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AS JO AND FITZ," you could hear the cracks in Kelly-Kate's voice as she tried not to cry while saying her vicious words. "Why did she marry Kyle then? Why did she date my brother if she was still in love with Fitz? Kyle died loving her . . . thinking that . . . thinking that Jo was his and that she loved him." Kelly-Kate's lip started to quiver, "I'm not even mad at what she did to me," water began to build in the corner of her eyes, "I'm mad that she did this to Kyle. I know he's not here and . . . that's worse . . . he loved her so much. Why would she do this?" Suddenly her face fell and Kelly-Kate's body wracked with sobs. Before she could think of what to do next, Karen shoved the donut bag off the bed and tugged Kelly-Kate towards her. She let her stepsister cry in her arms, as she held her tightly and tried to make up for the sins of her mother and father.

Karen thought of Jerry and wished he were there with them. His voice was soothing and he always said the same thing to his sister.

"The world isn't full of good and bad people. We've all got both light and dark inside of us," Karen whispered.

Kelly-Kate chuckled slightly and looked up at Karen, "You got to lay off the Harry Potter quotes one day sis."

Mellie sat in the living room with all the lights off, and stared at her phone. No one was answering her calls, or her e-mails, or hell she even sent letters to both Kelly-Kate and Emily. But she received them back in the mail with a big fat red stamp saying "Return To Sender." Her face was all over primetime news, with big headliners reading "The Ex Is Now His Next", "Grant For The People or Grant For The Sequel" and the one the hurt the most "Kyle King Taken For GRANTed."

Countless photos of her marriage with Kyle had re-emerged and Mellie could not stand to see her own face filled with joy. News teams had psychologists observing and diagnosing every body movement, facial expression, and verbal statement the two had said to each other when Kyle was by her side. The faceless words rambled through her head, "But do you see how her feet are angled towards President Grant while she is clutching onto King's arm?"

Suddenly Mellie heard footsteps walking down the stairs, and she clicked off her phone rapidly.

"Still nothing?" his voice asked lowly from the foot of the steps. He didn't approach her; he just watched her silhouette, as the open window illuminated some moonlight into the room.

"Nope."

The passed few days had been rough. Mellie didn't want to look at him, she didn't want to touch him, and she definitely didn't want to live with him. Every time he placed a hand on her, she moved away as if he had burned her skin. He didn't want to leave her alone, because he feared what she would do to herself in solitude. But he learned to stop moving towards her and began moving around her.

They ate breakfast in the kitchen hours apart, she would wake up late and he would be up at crack of dawn for a jog around her estate. He often found himself sitting at the bed of the white truck, his calves and feet dangling off; swinging to whatever rhythm his heart was beating. Sweat would run down his face and down his body until there was a pool of it in his tennis shoes. He would sit and watch the sunrise glisten on the lake. The wind would tickle the surface of green water and make slow ripples. He would wait long amounts of time sitting on the truck hoping that today was the day she got up early. Hoping that it was day she was finally released from the funk that had taken over her. He sat around waiting to hear footsteps approach the abandoned truck, knowing she knew where he was every morning. Or worse maybe she didn't know.

Mellie never slept in the same bed as he. He tried to sneak in one night, hoping she would reconcile and snuggle into his warm arms. But he woke up to an empty bed, and found her locked in her office. God knows if she was sleeping in there, or if she was on her iPad scrolling through the latest headlines. He contemplated disconnecting her Wi-Fi or at least changing the password, but this wasn't his house.

She was never angry with her children and he was very thankful for that. She could bypass him all she wanted, as long as she never did the same to her kids. Everyday she played with Jo in her office . . . locked. She kissed Teddy on the forehead every night, after reading him a bedtime story, and on most days was up to see him off at eight thirty in the morning. They had just finished making his solar system model and he loved watching her paint along with their son.

She never made it awkward when he was in the room with them.

"Why isn't Pluto a planet anymore mom?" Teddy had asked as he glittered Saturn's ring.

"Because Daddy ruled it too small to be a Planet in 2006," she laughed as she painted the sun a mixture of yellow, orange, and gold.

"Daddy that's mean!" Teddy had looked at him wide eyed, shaking his head left to right.

"I didn't do that! NASA did! I was just the President at the time Teddy Bear."

They never played with Jo together. That was difficult for him. Jo was shuffled between her mother and father . . . in the same house. Other then spare moments with Teddy, Mellie and him were never in the same room. Wherever she was, he was always somewhere else.

So there she sat in silence, staring out the window, while he sat on the bottom of the steps watching her pull herself apart.

Mellie knew he was there, but she did not have the guts to turn around.

"Is it him?" his voice cracked through the cold air, "Are you thinking about him when you look at me, or more so when you are not looking at me? Do you think just because people are writing in the news about you, whatever they say must be true? Huh?"

She fidgeted as his words became laced with anger.

"God damn it Mellie answer me?" he growled as he hastily stood up. His hands were on his waist and she felt his glare burning into her back. "Because I'm-" his right hand ran through his hair and he pulled it a little, "I'm running myself ragged trying to figure out what it is that you want." He walked closer to her, but the statue that was his girlfriend seized to make any indications she was listening to him.

"Do you want me to leave? Do you want me to hide from you? Do you want him?" he began pacing, and he felt a surge of blood rushing through his palms. Before he could control himself he hit the wall next to the stair well with a closed fist, "What do you want from me Mels?!"

The house echoed with the loud boom that followed him shaking his hand form the intended bruises that were sure to form. Mellie had jumped at the sound, and placed her right hand over her heart.

"Do you want anything from me?" he whispered desperately.

Her bottom lip was quivering, and she bit down on it to stop from saying something she would regret. What could she say? Mellie knew how she had been acting, and in her mind for good reason. Yet, she could not tell him exactly what it was that had been running through her mind the passed few days.

"Alright," she heard him whisper and then his silence was followed by the sound of his feet climbing back up the stairs. Mellie suddenly pushed herself up and turned to find he had stopped halfway up the stairwell. Before she could speak, he turned to her.

"You know you're not the only one dealing with the stress of publicity okay? "Leader Of The Grand Ole Cheaters" "Vermont Is For Assholes" "Will President Grant Ever Stop Being A Frat Boy" and those aren't even some of the worse headlines that have been written about me. But unlike _you_ I have not been making this about _me_. I have been trying to help _you_!" he walked down the steps, until he was face to face with her burning blue steel eyes.

"Olivia called me by the way. Since we're adding to the list of people we blew up, you should know Olivia Pope is in that category and she matters just as much as Kelly-Kate and Emily when it comes to apologizing. So don't go around acting as if _I am the grenade_ that blew up our universe and started World War III. Okay. _WE WERE THE MOTHER FUCKING GRENADE_."

His eyes were in a rage and his breathing was matching his erratic heartbeat. Suddenly he watched as Mellie's shoulders began to shake, and a yelp escaped her mouth before she could cover it with her hands. She buried her face in her palms and sobbed.

"Fitz," she murmured into her hands and then looked up at him with red rimmed eyes, "Fitz I just-" Mellie couldn't make words as she continued to cry, "Fitzgerald."

He took her in his arms and Mellie clutched onto him for support, as her legs felt weak beneath her. Fitz scooped her up and carried her to the sofa. He sat with her cradled in his arms, and let her sob into his chest. Neither of them heard the tiny footsteps climbing down the stairs, until a silhouette appeared in front of them.

"Is mommy hurt?" Teddy asked with wide eyes. He grabbed his mother's hands, and squeezed them as hard as he could.

Mellie opened her eyes and turned towards her youngest son, "No Teddy Bear, mommy is okay. She just needed daddy to hold her for a bit okay?"

Before both parents could say anything more, the ten year old climbed up and cuddled between both Fitz and Mellie.

**Weeks Later**

She tried her hardest to move forward from that day. She tried her hardest to let him in, to let him love her. But the media wasn't going away and Kyle's family still wasn't returning any of her calls. Mellie felt hopeless.

She knew what she had to do but what she didn't know was if she had the guts to go through with it. All her life she had been accused of being cut throat and selfish. Accused of caring only for her own personal gain and believing whatever happened after she was satisfied simply didn't appeal to her.

Mellie had begun to believe the things said about her the more she grew up. But that did not make her a heartless person, it just made her critical.

Fitz had made dinner, and Mellie felt every bone in her body tighten. Lately she had gone back to work and he had been at her home doing well . . . not much.

She hated the love in his eyes, she hated how much he continued to try and please her. Mellie was anything but pleased. Nothing was going her way, and she had to stay on top of her plans. That was what all this was about, if Mellie was happy sitting as a Senator with an ex-husband, ex-president in her Virginia home then she wouldn't be shuffling her food around her plate as she had been all night.

The polls looked worse and worse everyday and Mellie had stopped looking at them all together. The solution was simple . . . apologize publicly and stop seeing Fitz.

Mellie was feeling empty and lost, and when this happened she threw herself into her work. Last time she let Fitz stop her, and look where that got her? She would be damned if she let him stop her one more time.

Mellie didn't see him leave and return with a medium sized red box, before she knew it he was rambling about time and shoving a rose gold watch in her face. She saw red and he was talking about her giving up her dream, the goal he said she could have on the Truman balcony. She felt flames erupting from her mouth in the shape of words and threats. Before she knew it he was wide eyed, with tears on his rims, leaving the watch on the table and walking out of the house.

She crumbled to the ground, burying her face into her knees and sobbing for her entire house staff to hear.

**Five Years Later**

Mellie sat at her desk in the Oval Office, and flipped through files on the latest Clean Air Act, that all advanced countries would hopefully be agreeing to this upcoming weekend. It was quite simple; they had one planet, too many people and too many emissions. Whoever refused to be added to the Clean Air Act would look like a fool.

It was nearing eleven at night and she decided to take a break from reading ten-point font without her glasses. There was a quiet knock on her door, and Mellie raised her head to find Fitz sticking in his own with a shy smile. Usually he just waltzed in and distracted her from the never-ending pile of work, so she questioned why he was being cautious.

"You have a visitor," he opened the door a little wider and allowed his whole body to be seen. But she could still not see the person hiding behind him.

Mellie widened her eyes and pointed at her watch, mouthing "it's late." She shook her head back and forth, not wanting to see whoever got her husband to break regular working hours.

"It's never too late," Fitz said as he finally stepped in and she could see the still form standing beside him.

The visitor had grown she seemed fuller. Her hair was still the same long brown length, but she was wearing black riding boots, leggings, a dark navy blue skirt, and an oversized white sweater. She had obviously learned how to layer, with her Burberry scarf and black trench coat.

Mellie immediately stood up and straightened the bottom half of her dress. She was nervous, playing with the newly replaced wedding rings on her marriage finger.

"Kelly-Kate," she finally whispered, and took small steps around her desk. Mellie pointed a shaky finger at the White House pass that was clipped onto Kelly-Kate's black leather satchel. "I see you got the pass I had made for you. I didn't know if you had burned it, or sold it, and then I started to worry about a national threat. But I knew no matter how much you hated me, you would never do something so full of risk and well . . . maybe you would because you hate me-"

"Mellie," Fitz said in a sing-song voice, trying to calm his rambling wife.

Mellie strained a smile at Fitz, she was thankful for him trying to relax her anxiety.

Kelly-Kate stood in the same place, just at the entrance of the Oval Office, looking around at everything she one day hoped to see. Before Mellie could start to loosen up the atmosphere Kelly-Kate spoke softly, "I'm at Georgetown Law."

Both Mellie and Fitz looked at each other and then back at Kelly-Kate. She looked down and began to fidget with the mittens on her hands, "You were at my college graduation and I – I wanted to apologize for not acknowledging you. I um I applied to UT Law, Georgetown, and NYU. I got into all three and somehow I even got an invitation to attend Yale Law School," Kelly-Kate smirked looking up at Mellie's guilty eyes, "A special interest they had in me they said."

Fitz and Mellie tried to pull one of the most nonchalant parent look of their career and Kelly-Kate wasn't buying any of it.

"You're very smart and you got a 173 on your LSAT. I couldn't not try to get you an interview . . .," Mellie murmured as she ran a hand through her hair. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. "And you double majored in Political Science and Business Administration . . . I just . . . you are full of so much promise, and I just felt-"

"Mellie it's okay," Kelly-Kate smiled and both parents let out a sigh of relief. "But I'm not the type to go to an Ivy League. I'm not Type A. No offense to you guys."

"Non-taken!" Mellie said almost too quickly. She cursed herself internally.

Fitz filled the silence, "Bulldogs are still bulldogs. Georgetown is a great law school, a special type of person get's into that school. I didn't when I applied so kudos."

Kelly-Kate raised her eyebrow at him, "_You_ didn't get into Georgetown but you got into Yale?"

Both Mellie and Fitz nodded and Kelly-Kate looked back at Mellie, "You didn't get in either?!"

Mellie scoffed, "Me? No of course I got in."

Both her and Kelly-Kate laughed, and Fitz rolled his eyes "Alright, I was still President so everybody shutup."

Their laughs died down and Mellie looked at Kelly-Kate, "For what it's worth, I'm very proud of you . . . and I know . . . I know I'm not the only one."

Everyone in the room knew Mellie was talking about Kyle King. Kelly-Kate's eyes drifted from Mellie's blue one's to the ground and then swiftly back up. Fitz had crossed his arms in front of him, not in defense just out of lack of knowing what to do with his body. It was finally that time to dismiss himself, and he did exactly that, politely and quietly.

The Oval Office was left quiet and Mellie moved to sit on her couch. Kelly-Kate followed suit, and took of her scarf and coat before sitting.

"I'm so sorry-" Mellie began but Kelly-Kate rose her hand, just as Mellie had done to many people in her lifetime. The First Lady President was caught off guard by her maneuver, but the young woman in front of her had already begun to speak.

"You have apologized enough over the last five years Mellie, so please do not add to that mantra. I'm not trying to be rude, I just - it's my turn," Kelly-Kate smiled and continued. "I hated you, I'm not going to lie. But I was there when you were with Kyle and no one can fake that kind of love. You made him happy and he surely made you happy as well. Although your time together was limited, it felt like a lifetime of love and I believe you when you say every second of it meant something to you. I of course couldn't figure this out on my own. When the scandal about you and Fitz got out I was so angry and hurt, not because you'd lied but because you lied to Kyle. Last year when I graduated from University, I got this in the mail."

Kelly-Kate reached into her satchel and brought out a small black USB. Without another word she got up and grabbed Mellie's laptop from her desk and came back to sit with her. Mellie was too confused by everything that she sat in silence until a video player popped up on her computer screen. Kelly-Kate highered the volume to it's maximum and played the video with the press of the space bar.

Kyle's face appeared on the screen and Mellie's throat tightened. Kelly-Kate grabbed her hand and layed her head on Mellie's shoulder. Mellie could tell the video was taken from before the cancer had taken over him completely. His eyes were deep brown, and his skin was perfectly tanned.

"How are my two beautiful girls?" he smiled into the camera and Mellie felt tears begin to run down her cheeks. "Well if you're getting this video, it's because the world knows the truth. But let me tell you something, only we know the truth. Kelly-Kate, I sent this to _you_ because I know Mellie has already tried countlessly to contact you and if I know you well enough you have tried your best to be the cold-hearted person you _clearly_ are not. So by the time this video is done, I want you to come to your senses, pick up the phone and call Madame President herself."

Mellie couldn't help as sobs began to escape her throat. He even knew while he was dying that she was going to be President someday.

"I know about Jo, I have always known about Jo. Special Agent Kyle King, remember my two smart beautiful ladies? I have CIA friends and NSA friends. That's not the point of this though. Mellie, I know that you are tearing yourself apart inside over your decision. I want you to know that I love you for wanting to protect me. I understand where you are coming from, and when I know your instinct is to cut and run when things get difficult and too real for you, you chose to protect me instead of yourself. Kelly-Kate, I know this might be difficult for you to hear, but you have to understand that adulthood doesn't always make sense and we have to make decisions that sometimes don't have a perfect ending no matter what way you choose to go. Life is anything but fair my sweet girls. But since I am not there to piece our world back together myself, I'm hoping that this will help."

"Most of our wounds come from relationships. Either relationships with friends, family or lovers. But I suppose that's where healing comes from too, from relationships. Each relationship between two persons is absolutely unique. That is why you cannot love two people the same. It simply is not possible. You love each person differently because of who they are and the uniqueness that they draw out of you. But you are able and allowed to love more than one person in your lifetime. Mellie, I know he loves you and I know that you love him. I also know that I love you and that you love me. You showed me a different side of you that he will never see, and I'm not saying that in a possessive way, I'm saying that because it's true. So, don't let the media tell you what you felt, don't let the media take _our _story away from you. You have never lied about your feelings to me, and I have never lied about mine to you. So listen to me when I say this darling, I forgive you. Kelly-Kate, you need to forgive her too. And as a team, together, you can make mom forgive her as well. Jo is a part of our family and she always will be, never lose sight of family Kelly-Kate . . . even if they're not blood, they're family."

"Mellie, I love you darling. I love Jo so much and I can tell you something honestly, wherever it is that I am at right now; know that I am always protecting you. I am watching you with adoration and I am missing you more than ever."

Mellie looked at Kyle staring into the camera, tears falling down the sides of his cheeks.

"I'll be waiting for you."

The camera clicked off and Mellie couldn't feel her heart. Kyle King seized to amaze her, even in his after life. She wiped at her tears and let Kelly-Kate hold her, as they sniffed in unison.

"I miss him so much," Mellie whispered.

"I miss him too," Kelly-Kate agreed. They sat in comfortable silence, knowing that Kyle was with them somehow in spirit. They felt it in their hearts. After a long while, they pulled apart and Mellie looked down at Kelly-Kate, putting loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"You want to spend the night? I'm sure Karen wouldn't mind if you slept in her room."

Kelly-Kate nodded and said with a sly smile, "That's the other thing . . . rent is expensive. Like I don't even eat real food anymore. I have been eating sandwiches for about two weeks, a long with tuna and it is simply awful."

Mellie laughed, "Kelly-Kate are you abusing your sister in laws power?"

"No, no! I would hate to impose, especially just after making amends with you! Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I would never ask-"

"You're welcome here Kelly-Kate, we'll set you up in Jerry's old room." Mellie kissed Kelly-Kate's forehead.

"No Mellie, that was his room, and . . ."

"I'm sure he would have loved you. There would be no one else in the world I would rather give that room to than you."

Mellie and Kelly-Kate walked back to the residence together hand in hand. She said goodnight to her visitor and walked with a small smile to the master bedroom. Mellie opened the double doors, and shut them quietly. One lamp was on, next to the king sized bed and Fitz was reading a book, his glasses perked at the end of his nose. He looked up at her as she sat down next to him. Her eyes were still swollen from crying, and she had tear-stained cheeks.

"Mels are you okay?" Fitz set down his book and reached for her. She scooted over towards him and cuddled into his side.

"I'm perfect Fitz," she whispered holding onto his waist. Mellie felt him kiss her forehead over and over again, and she was grateful at that very moment for every terrible and wonderful moment she had every been through in her life.

"Did Kelly-Kate get home safe?" he asked rubbing her arms up and down softly.

Mellie turned to him, "About that . . . she's moving in."

His eyes widened and then he chuckled, "This will be fun. Karen's coming back in a month from teaching English in Singapore, Teddy and Jo aren't being shipped to boarding school. It will be a packed house."

Mellie smiled, "Just like you always wanted."

Fitz smirked down at her, "Who would've thought. You and me, living in this big white house, packed with kids, and you as President. God I want to go back and tell myself never to have given up on you . . . on us."

"No don't say that," Mellie whispered playing with the ends of his t-shirt, "everything up to this point has given us what we have now. An I am oh so incredibly happy."

Fitz leaned down and captured her lips with his own, "I love you Mellie Ray."

"I love you Fitzgerald Grant."

**FIN**

* * *

Again, thank you guys so much for everything. If you really want to hit the feels with this chapter, listen to "All The Pretty Girls - Kaleo" at the same time as you read. Here's to all the Mellie lovers. -O.M.


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